Finding Home
by anonymousgg
Summary: Sixteen months after turning down Logan's marriage proposal, Rory unexpectedly runs into Finn Morgan while on the campaign trail, and she has no idea that Finn has always had a soft spot for her. Will his affections remain hidden? Will she finally be over Logan and ready to move on? And if so, how will Logan react to his best friend's relationship with the one who got away? PDLD
1. Chapter 1

Rory sighed as she exited the hotel elevator and proceeded to the ballroom where today's event was being held to find a seat. If there was a bright side to these events, it's that they were in a much nicer hotel than normal because all of the campaign events were being held in the same hotel over the week, so they were staying onsite. She was in Chicago for 5 days for a series of campaign events and fundraisers. After 16 months on the campaign trail for the Obama campaign, she was more than ready for November. Just two more months to go. She loved her job, but living in suitcases and never spending more than a few days at a time in any one place had quickly grown old. She was grateful the the beginning of her journalism career, and her pieces were always well-received. A few had even been picked up by the AP, which made Hugo, her boss, extremely happy with her work, but she was ready to have some place to call home and put down some roots.

The campaign trail had been good to her. She had started on the trail fresh out of college and freshly broken-hearted in May of last year, and getting into the routine on the trail and throwing herself into her work had helped her begin to pick up the pieces and move past her heartbreak slowly. She had been devastated when Logan had given her an ultimatum and walked away at her graduation, and part of her had believed that he would eventually come crawling back, but he never did. They hadn't spoken or seen each other since that fateful day. While she had initially felt conflicted over whether or not she made the right decision, she now knew that she had indeed been correct in turning down his proposal. She had needed time to establish herself in the journalism world, and she wasn't ready to get married. After many months of intermittent wallowing and occasional tears, she finally had put herself back together stronger than ever. She'd even been on a couple of first dates when she'd been home for breaks and had dated one of the other reporters on the bus briefly. They all felt like something was missing, but that was okay. She wasn't itching to settle down. Perhaps when she was able to make a home after the campaign trail she would meet someone right.

Rory was pulled from her thoughts as the introductions began, and she shifted into reporter mode, switching on her digital recorder and taking notes frantically as Senator Obama began to outline his plan for his first 100 days if he were to win the presidency. She may be tired of being on the trail and living out of suitcases, but she loved every minute of covering the Presidential-hopeful. He had a way of captivating the audience, and he was easy to relate to. She'd even had an opportunity or two to do one-on-one interviews with him for stories, and those had been widely syndicated.

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The Westfield Chicago was abuzz with excitement and there was hardly a moment of peace this morning. They were booked to capacity, thanks to the events they were hosting this week in relation to the Obama campaign, and the lobby was a never-ending parade of guests, press, staffers, and paparazzi. Finn had flown in for the week to ensure that everything went off without a hitch. He had gone to work for his family's company after graduating college two years ago, and he found that he really enjoyed the family business. He got to travel and plan events and even managed to enjoy the business side of the job, pouring over projections and budgets and proposals. He had matured, as had his college buddies, and while they all still enjoyed occasional nights spent drinking and partying, they were all now responsible adults who contributed to the family businesses. Gone were the days of constant drinking and women, long-since replaced by early mornings in the office, board meetings, and managing multi-billion dollar companies.

Logan Huntzberger, one of his best friends, had finally returned to Huntzberger Publishing Group, and was working with Mitchum to move their newspapers and other holdings into the 21st century. After his disastrous breakup with Rory, he hadn't lasted long in California before his father wooed him back to the family business. Logan was thriving in his role at HPG as Vice President of Media and Acquisitions. His personal life left much to be desired after he'd stupidly given Rory that damn ultimatum, but his friends hadn't been able to convince him to try to win Rory back, no matter how hard they tried. He was currently dating Stacey Fallon, who Shira had been trying to set him up with back when Rory and Logan were still together, and he was being pressed constantly to propose in order to strengthen the family name.

Colin McCrae had finally come to his senses and he and Stephanie had been dating since graduation and were blissfully happy and planning their life together. They had recently gotten engaged and the whirlwind of engagement parties and wedding planning would soon begin for the college sweethearts. They had what everyone in the group had always assumed that Rory and Logan would have. Sure, their relationship wasn't quite as sweet or tender, but they loved each other and were finding their way in life together. Colin had just joined his family's law firm and was already a highly-respected attorney in the New York area.

They had all settled in New York, which allowed for frequent lunches, dinners, and celebrations for the old friends. The only one missing from their college group was the lovely Miss Gilmore. Finn's thoughts turned to her often, but not for the reason that one might expect. He had been intoxicated by her from the moment he laid eyes on her, and had he been sober that day he might have actually made his move before his best mate did, saving him from the torture of having to see her with Logan for two years. She was a true beauty, as stunning in jeans and a t-shirt as she was in an evening gown, and was so witty and intelligent. She had no idea of the effect she had on men, and he was certain that she could have her pick of any man she wanted. He often wondered where life had taken her and if she was happy with someone now.

As he sat in his office now thinking about her, he opened his browser and typed her name into Google to see if could figure out who she was writing for now, and his breath hitched as he saw the hits that came up. He blinked his eyes hard, looking at the screen again to ensure that he wasn't seeing things, but he wasn't. She was a reporter on the Obama campaign trail. That meant that she was very likely in the ballroom right that moment, listening to Senator Obama's 100 day plan.

Finn quickly locked his office and proceeded through the hotel to the ballroom, glancing around while he observed the room as the event ended and people began moving about the room. Sitting there, not 50 feet from him, was Rory Gilmore. She looked tired, but she still looked just as beautiful as he remembered her being, if not more so. She was focused intently on her notebook as she frantically scribbled notes. Her nose was scrunched up and her brow was creased as another man approached her with his pen and notebook and sat next to her, beginning what looked to be an intense conversation with them both comparing notes and gesturing wildly.

Finn quickly excused himself back to the front desk and typed her last name into the computer to look for her reservation, jotted her room number on a piece of paper, and stuffed it in his pocket before logging off. She would be here all week, so maybe he would call her room later to see if they could catch up over coffee. He was walking back through the lobby toward his office when he heard an unmistakable voice from behind him.

"Finn? Is that you?!"

He must have been lost in his own little world as he walked across the lobby, because he hadn't even seen her coming his way, still with the gentleman from earlier. He turned and smiled warmly, holding out his arms when he saw her.

"Kitten? It's been forever!"

Finn was almost knocked over as Rory ran the few steps between them and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Neither were aware of the other reporters from the campaign trail who had stopped in their tracks at seeing the interaction between the two.

"Oh my gosh, Finn! It's so good to see you!" she replied as she finally moved out of his arms and kissed him on the cheek. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working here, love. I flew in for the week to oversee things, we had to ensure that everything went smoothly with all of the events that we're hosting."

"I didn't realize that this was one of your family's hotels," Rory replied with a blush.

"That it is," Finn said with a chuckle, finally realizing that the man Rory had been talking with earlier in the ballroom was standing there watching in awe. Finn extended his hand to the man and introduced himself. "I'm Finn Morgan, Miss Gilmore and I are friends from Yale. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, yeah. I'm Sam. I'm on the campaign trail as well. It's nice to meet you, too," the other man replied as he shook Finn's hand and then shifted his attention back to Rory. "I'm just going to go work on my article. I'll catch you later, okay, Rory?" Sam said awkwardly.

"Sure, I'm sure I'll see you later today. Happy writing!" Rory replied with a laugh before she turned back to Finn.

"So, writing on the campaign trail for Senator Obama, kitten? That's fabulous! Are you enjoying it?"

"It's been a great opportunity, and some of my stories have even been picked up by the AP and syndicated. It's been a great launch pad for my journalism career," Rory replied.

"I sense a 'but' coming up?"

"But I'm so ready for election day so I can settle down someplace and put down roots. It's exhausting living out of a suitcase and never being in the same place for more than a few days at a time. I'm ready to go home."

"And where is home, Miss Gilmore?"

"Hmm...that is the question of the hour. I'm not sure yet. I've been getting some offers, some are even good offers, but I haven't made any decisions yet."

"Well, I'm certain that you'll know when the right offer comes along. So, is Sam the new man in your life? He didn't seem to happy to see you hugging me," Finn asked with a laugh.

"What? God, no! He's been asking me out for the last 16 months, and I don't see him stopping until we're finished with the campaign trail. He's nice enough, but it's just...I don't know. He's a great friend."

"Ouch, yet another man friend-zoned by the great Rory Gilmore. You're such a heartbreaker, love!" Finn teased her. He couldn't help but flirt a bit.

"It's hardly as dramatic as you make it out to be, Finn!" Rory replied as she blushed.

"You just keep telling yourself that, kitten. Listen, I have some work that I have to get done, but could we catch up over dinner tonight?" Finn held his breath as he waited for her answer. It was stupid, really, to feel like he'd just put it all on the line. It was just two friends catching up. Nothing more, nothing less.

"I would love to, Finn. I need to get this article written and submitted, but I'm all yours after that."

Finn forced himself to remain calm and not grin like an idiot at her completely innocent choice of words.

"Excellent, kitten. I'll come by your room at 7:00 to pick you up if that's okay?"

"I'll be waiting!" Rory replied as she took out a business card and jotted her room number on the back. "Here's my room number and my cell number as well. I'll see you soon!" Rory said as she handed Finn the business card before kissing him on the cheek and hurrying off toward the elevators.


	2. Chapter 2

Rory was instantly surrounded by her friends from the trail as she boarded the elevator and pressed the button for her floor, but she barely noticed. She was lost in her thoughts and still reeling from seeing Finn.

"Alright, Rory, care to tell us who that gorgeous man was?" asked Kate.

"Huh? Oh, he's an old friend from Yale. You guys remember me telling you about Logan? He's actually one of Logan's best friends."

"Well, he sure seemed happy to see you," Laura chimed in. "Anything ever happen between the two of you?"

"What? No! You just have to know Finn. He's exotic and eccentric, but he's amazing. He's a great guy," replied Rory.

"And easy on the eyes!" exclaimed Kate.

"Right, I guess he is. I hadn't really noticed until today. He was always a friend of mine because of Logan, if that makes sense. Finn and I weren't really close."

"What are the chances of you running into him at this hotel?" mused Laura.

"Umm...actually, pretty good, I guess. His family owns this chain."

"What?! Gilmore, how do you end up getting all of the gorgeous, rich, nice young bachelors to fall at your feet?" asked Kate.

"He's not falling at my feet, guys. He's just Finn. I swear, he's never looked at me like anything other than a friend."

"Right. You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, but we all saw the way that he looked at you, and we could all feel the sexual tension in the air" replied Laura.

"Guys, I swear! We're just catching up as friends tonight at dinner. Yes, he's gorgeous and sweet, but there's nothing going on."

"Enjoy writing your article and getting ready for your date," Kate said as she laughed and the girls broke off to go to their rooms.

Rory entered her room and threw her laptop bag down on her bed. It was noon, so she had plenty of time to grab some lunch and write her article before dinner tonight. She changed quickly into jeans and a casual shirt and pulled her hair into a ponytail before grabbing her laptop bag and heading back out to find a cafe with drinkable coffee and wifi so she could work on her article and eat lunch.

A few blocks later, she settled herself into a booth at a local cafe and ordered a burger, fries and coffee for dinner before pulling her laptop out of her bag and beginning on her article. She was in the zone, and the article flowed easily. She was grateful to be able to focus, given that her mind was still occupied with the remarks of her friends in the elevator. Surely Finn didn't like her, right? He could have any woman he wanted, and probably did every single night. Still, something in the way that he looked at her and hugged her stuck in the back of her head and made her wonder if her friends weren't onto something.

Finally finishing her article, she e-mailed it to Hugo and uploaded it to the backup server and turned her attention to checking her e-mail and reading her favorite news sites for a bit before heading back to her hotel. Finally arriving back in her room, she kicked off her shoes and plugged her laptop in to charge and picked up her phone. She held it for a minute before finally hitting speed dial 2 and pressing the call button.

"Loin fruit! Mommy misses you!" came her mom's enthusiastic voice.

"Mom! I miss you, too! How's life there?"

"Not the same without you, kiddo. I'll be grateful when the campaign is over and I can actually see you on a fairly regular basis. Have you given anymore thought to where you might settle?"

"No, not really. I mean, I have the offer to continue on with the White House press corps for Hugo, but I'd like to try my hand at something different and be closer to home," replied Rory.

"Oh, kid. I would really like that, too. Now, not that Mommy doesn't enjoy talking to you, because I always do, but you never call me before 9:00 at night. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. It's just...it's nothing, really. It's silly."

"If you're calling me at 6:00, clearly everything isn't fine and it's not silly. What's going on?"

"Do you remember Finn?"

"Finn...Finn...wait! One of the limo boys? Exotic, sexy, gorgeous accent Finn?"

"The one and only, Mom. It's so weird. I guess his family owns the hotel that we're at this week and he's in town for the week to make sure everything goes smoothly with all of the events this week, and I saw him in the lobby and the next thing I know I'm running into his arms for an amazing hug. God, I miss being close to friends! So anyway, he asked me to go to dinner tonight to catch up, and I said yes, but then Kate and Laura cornered me in the elevator and were insinuating that Finn was looking at me like he wanted to be more than friends and I don't know what to think, Mom! Why is this throwing me for such a loop? God, I'm a wreck!"

"Whoa, calm down there, kiddo. That was a rant to set the standard for all Gilmore rants. That is the rant against which all others will be measured. Do you feel better now?"

"No, not really. I need you to talk me down from the edge, Mom."

"Alright, first things first. Put on a pot of coffee in your room and get some more caffeine in you. Then sit down on the bed and we'll talk," said Lorelai.

Rory quickly started the coffee maker with a fresh pot of coffee and sat her mug on the counter at the ready and then sat down on her bed, curling up with her blanket and getting comfortable.

"Alright, I'm sitting and ready to talk to Mommy," Rory said quietly.

"Okay, what exactly has you so freaked out, sweetie? You know Finn, and you know he's a great guy. You've never felt uncomfortable around him before."

"I don't know, Mom. I've always enjoyed spending time with Finn, and I was fine until the girls started in on how he was looking at me and how they could all feel the sexual tension, and it freaked me out. I mean, it's Finn! It's Logan's best friend! He could have his pick of women. Why in the world would he be interested in me, Mom?"

"Oh wow, kiddo. So many things going on here. First of all, are you over Logan?"

"Yeah, I absolutely am. I hardly ever think about him anymore, and when I do think of him there aren't any lingering feelings of love or anything. We were good together while it lasted, but I know that I was right to end it, and I don't regret it at all."

"Okay, good. That's the first step. Now, I know you're not your biggest fan, Rory, but you need to quit thinking that some man would be settling to want to be with you. You're gorgeous, you're witty, you're smart, and any man would be lucky to call himself your boyfriend. Your idiot ex-boyfriends and your dad sure did a number on you by walking away after earning your trust and not being reliable, but those are their issues, not yours. They didn't leave because you weren't worth their love. They left because they have commitment issues. Do you hear me, kiddo?"

"God, they really did screw me up, didn't they? How have I never realized that before, Mom?"

"With age comes wisdom, my dear daughter. Now, we'll tackle the last issue of Finn in a minute. First, what are you thinking about wearing tonight?"

"Well, I thought about that blue halter dress with the flowy skirt and the silver heels," Rory replied.

"Ah, that tells me everything I need to know about Finn for now."

"What? How does that tell you anything about Finn, Mom?"

"Because when you're home and your grandparents set you up on dates, you wear slacks and a nice shirt or a sun dress and ballet flats, my dear. And when you were dating that guy from the trail briefly you never dressed that nicely either, which clearly means that you want to wow him tonight when he sees you. Am I right?"

"How do you do that, Mom? I mean, seriously, you just made it sound so easy."

"Mommy is pretty and wise, kiddo. Obviously you want to look good tonight for dinner, so curl your hair and wear the blue dress and heels and just relax and enjoy yourself. Have a glass or two of wine with dinner to help take the edge off of your nerves and enjoy spending time with Finn. You'll know if you feel something more than friendship there."

"You're amazing. Thank you, Mom! Now, I need to hop in the shower if I'm going to be ready by 7:00. I'll let you know how it went tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds good. Have fun, Ror!"

Rory hung up the phone, finished off the last of the new pot of coffee and jumped in the shower, taking the time to shave her legs, before drying off and throwing on her robe. She dried her hair and curled it carefully, put on a bit of mascara, blush and lip gloss. At a quarter 'til seven she slipped on her dark blue halter dress and silver heels and looked at herself in the mirror. Not bad if she did say so herself. She threw her wallet, room key, lip gloss and cell phone into a small clutch that she carried for their formal events and took a few deep breaths just in time to hear a knock at the door. He was right on time. Rory gave herself a quick pep talk, grabbed her purse and jacket, and crossed the room and opened the door with a smile, momentarily shocked to see how sexy Finn looked in his grey suit.


	3. Chapter 3

Finn was rendered speechless when Rory opened her door. She looked stunning in a flirty blue dress, silver heels that made her legs look impossibly long, and with soft curls in her hair. She was an absolute vision. He finally reeled himself back in and spoke.

"You look incredible, kitten. I'm going to be the envy of every man in the restaurant tonight," he said with a wink, and he chuckled to himself as she blushed at the compliment.

"Aw, Finn! You're too kind!" Rory said as she stepped forward and kissed his cheek lightly. "You look pretty handsome yourself there, mister. I'll have to fight the other women off tonight, I'm certain," Rory said with a laugh.

"Never, love. You'll have my undivided attention."

"Such a charmer! Are we ready?" Rory asked, holding up her coat and jacket.

"This way, milady," he replied as he offered her his arm. She quickly wrapped her arm around his and closed her door behind her as they headed off toward the elevator.

"I hope you don't mind, kitten. I didn't rent a car because I didn't plan to go anywhere, so we'll use the car service tonight."

"Sure, that's fine with me. I'm easy to please," Rory said quickly, and then she must have realized what she had said because she blushed furiously.

"Cat got your tongue, pet?" Finn asked with a laugh as he helped her in the car and slid in next to her.

"Sorry, Finn. I guess some things never change, huh? I can still blush with the best of them," Rory said with a laugh.

"That's just one of the things we all love about you, dear. So tell me, what else is new with Rory Gilmore?" Finn asked.

"Not a lot, really. I'm sending out more resumes and putting out feelers for jobs after this is over and just looking forward to being in one place. What's new with you?"

"Well, I'm working in the family business now, obviously. I spend most of my time in New York City, but I travel some as needed to check up on our holdings and oversee our properties. Believe it or not, I enjoy the family business," Finn said as they pulled up to the restaurant. "We're here, kitten. I hope you still love Italian food?"

"Of course, Finn! Italian's great."

Finn exited the car and offered his hand to help Rory out before tucking her hand into his arm and leading her to the door of the restaurant. He held the door open for her, placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her into the restaurant. He couldn't help but notice that she didn't tense up with his touch, and he returned the shy grin she gave him with a wink.

"Good evening. Reservation for Morgan, sir," Finn said by way of greeting the maitre'd.

The maitre'd greeted them quickly and led them to a cozy booth in the back. Finn wasn't at all oblivious to the eyes on them as they entered the restaurant. Rory had always been unaware of the effect she had on men, but he noticed all of the appreciative glances sent her way. He took his seat across Rory after offering his hand to help her into her side of the booth and placed his napkin in his lap.

"How about some wine, kiten? Maybe a red?"

"That would be perfect, Finn! Thank you," Rory replied as their server approached their table.

"Good evening, my name is Emma and I'll be your server tonight. Would you like to start with a bottle of wine?"

"Yes, we would love a bottle of your cabernet, please," Finn said as he looked up briefly and then back to Rory. The waitress left the table to bring their wine and suddenly he heard Rory laughing.

"Finn, she was totally giving you the once over and you didn't even look at her! First you tell me that you're enjoying the business world and now you don't even notice a gorgeous woman trying to get your attention. What has happened to the Finn from Yale?" Rory said as she continued to giggle.

"Ah, love, there are a great many things that you don't know about adult Finn. I like to think of it as the new-and-improved Finn."

"Ooh, intrigue! Spill, because I want to know all about adult Finn," Rory said.

"Where to start? I've told you all about work. I haven't been drunk in long enough that I don't even remember the last time, it's no longer my life goal to bed every redhead I meet, and I can't tell you the last time I jumped off of anything. I'm afraid that I'm a shell of the man I once was," Finn chuckled.

"Just like fine wine," Rory replied without even thinking, and suddenly she was blushing.

"Pardon, kitten?"

"Oh, nothing really. I was just saying that it sounds like you've improved with age. Still as charming as funny as ever but more responsible. The next thing you know you'll tell me that you've settled down with one woman."

"I hate to break your heart, pet, but I dare say that I have actually had a couple of girlfriends in the last two and a half years, and I haven't been out on a date in a while."

"No! The Finn Morgan committed to one woman exclusively? And not dating constantly? It's a good thing I'm sitting down!" Rory quipped.

"Laugh it up, Miss Gilmore. Priorities have changed," Finn said with a sly smile.

"You sound happy, Finn. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but you just sound more content than I've ever seen you. Maturity looks good on you."

"Why, I can't believe it! Is she finally admitting that she's checking me out?" Finn said with a laugh, and Rory instantly blushed.

"Finn! That's not what I meant!" Rory shot back quickly as her cheeks heated.

"Relax, kitten. I'm just giving you a hard time. So, tell me, what's new with you? I know very little about what you've been up to since you graduated."

"Well, obviously you know that I refused Logan's proposal and he broke up with me - " Rory began but Finn cut her off.

"What do you mean he broke up with you? He just said you turned him down and it was over."

"What? No, I told him I couldn't marry him then, that I needed to find my way in the world before I could consider that, and he told me it was all or nothing. I couldn't accept his proposal, so he walked away."

"That makes so much more sense. None of us could see you just walking away completely, even if you weren't ready for marriage. We all expected that you two would make it."

"Honestly, Finn, we never really talked about the future. We lived in the moment, but there was never a time we sat down and talked about what we both wanted going forward, and it totally took me by surprise when he proposed. I just...I couldn't. I loved him then, but I couldn't see myself marrying him, becoming Mrs. Logan Huntzberger. I don't want to be a society wife who just plans parties and takes care of her husband. I wanted more. I still want more. Does this sound crazy?" Rory asked taking a deep breath and looking up at him with those beautiful blue eyes.

"Not at all, kitten. There are women who are happy to play the part of the supportive society wife, always content to be behind the scenes and supporting from afar, and then there are those who want to blaze a path next to their husband. That's one of the things that I love about my family. My parents, Finnegan and Amelia, are partners in life. They love each other after all this time, my mom helps with the family business, and my father respects her for what she brings to the table. They compliment each other. He would never dream of being unfaithful to her. My two older sisters, who are married, both work as well. Eva works with the family business, and Annabelle works with her husband."

"Wow, that's so unusual in society, but it's wonderful," Rory said quietly.

"It is. So, what else has changed?"

"Honestly, I don't have time for anything else to change," Rory said with a laugh. "The campaign trail has kept me so busy. I left two days after graduation, and I've hardly had time to look up since then. I've gone home for a few breaks, but this really is my life. God, I'm so ready for it to be over!" Rory said as she sighed and took a long sip of the wine that their waitress had just delivered.

They paused from their conversation long enough to order before picking back up.

"So, how is everyone?" Rory asked. "I haven't talked to any of you guys since then. Have Steph and Colin finally quit dancing around each other?" Rory asked with a laugh.

"Actually, he just popped the question a few weeks ago and they're marrying in the spring. I've never seen them so happy. They started dating after graduation."

"Aw, that's so great! And how's Logan? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable with it. I just hope he's done well for himself and that he's happy," Rory said.

Finn watched her for a moment before answering, looking for any hint of emotion he might see on her face.

"He's good, kitten. He didn't stay long in California before Mitchum lured him back to HPG, and he's enjoying it. His mother is over-the-moon that she was finally able to set him up with Stacey Fallon," Finn added timidly, still watching her face for any trace of regret or hurt, but all he saw was a sincere smile.

"That's so good! I'm really happy for him. He deserves happiness, and I'm certain that having Stacey as a potential future daughter-in-law makes Mitchum and Shira much happier than the thought of me," Rory added with a sincere laugh.

Finn took a deep breath before deciding to ask the question he'd been pondering all day, confident that he could remain casual and not show all of his cards.

"You sound like you've moved on, love?"

"I have. I mean, it's not that I'm seeing anyone right now, but I've dated a bit. It's hard with me constantly on the road, but I'm in a good place. It took some time to get there, but I really don't have any regrets."

"That's good, love. I know he would want you to be happy as well," Finn answered as their meals were set on the table in front of them.

Conversation descended into lighter topics and was filled with laughter as they enjoyed their meals. Suddenly Finn's phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket and gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm so sorry, kitten. This is the hotel, and I need to make sure everything is okay. I'm just going to step outside for a moment, okay?" he asked with an apologetic tone.

"Of course! I completely understand, Finn. Go!" Rory answered.

As Finn walked away from the table, Rory took her phone out of her purse and opened it only to find a text from her mom.

 _How's the hot Aussie?_

As hot as ever. He's matured. It's weird in a good way.

 _Ooh, Mommy likes exotic men! Is there chemistry?_

I don't know. I think so. Maybe? I'm so bad at this.

 _Just relax and enjoy yourself, kiddo. You'll know. Don't stress, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!_

Rory laughed as she read her mom's final text and slipped her phone back in her purse just as Finn returned to the table.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything's good, they just panicked for a moment. Sometimes being the boss is like having dozens of children running around the office," Finn answered with a chuckle, and Rory couldn't help but notice how his eyes lit up as he laughed. He looked so at ease and confident without being cocky, and it was very attractive. She couldn't believe that she'd never noticed how attractive he was before, but perhaps that had more to do with his reckless attitude and lifestyle and the fact that she'd been dating his best friend.

Just then, the server brought the check and placed it on the table between them. They both reached for it at the same time, but Finn managed to snatch it up first and gave her a teasing stare.

"Huh-uh, kitten. It's my treat, I insist. Don't even try to argue. You've spent enough time around Colin, Logan and me to know that none of us would ever let you pick up the check."

"You really don't have to, Finn, but thank you. You're quite the gentleman," she answered with a blush.

Finn settled the bill quickly and stood before offering her his hand to help her up. She placed her hand in his and stood, trying to ignore the warmth that was spreading through her body at the physical contact. She briefly wondered if her body was simply reacting to the lack of physical affection since she and Logan broke up, but she had to admit that she'd never had those feelings when any other date had touched her so innocently. She quickly shrugged into her jacket that Finn was holding out for her and grabbed her purse before turning to him, relaxing into his touch as he again placed his hand on the small of her back. Suddenly, she felt his breath on her neck as he leaned down to her ear.

"Every man in this restaurant wants to know who the gorgeous woman next to me is right now, kitten."

Rory shivered with the feel of having him so close to her, and at the weight of his words.

"You've always been delusional, Finn," she said with a small laugh.

"Not even close, love. They've all been eyeing you since the moment we walked in the doors. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure to accompany," Finn replied.

Rory stopped dead in her tracks for a moment, stunned by Finn's words, and he simply turned back to her with a sincere smile and reached out his hand in her direction in an invitation to continue the short walk to the waiting car.


	4. Chapter 4

Rory shut her hotel room door and leaned against it with a sigh, her mind running wild. She quickly kicked off her heels and started a pot of coffee before changing into pajamas. Her eyes shifted to the clock. It was after 10:00 in Chicago, which meant she really should wait until tomorrow to call her Mom. She and Luke were sure to be asleep at this hour. After arguing with herself in her head for a few minutes, she finally picked up her phone and typed out a quick text to Kate and Laura and hit send before throwing it on her bed and pouring a cup of coffee. Not even two minutes later, she answered the knock on her door to find her friends standing there giggling.

"We want details, Gilmore! How was the date with the hottie?" Laura asked with a smile as she shut the door behind her.

"Are you sure you two weren't waiting for my text? You got here awfully quickly," Rory said, trying to stall for a bit before talking about her evening.

"We might have anticipated your freak out phone call and been waiting, yes. Now, quit stalling!" said Kate.

"It was nice. We caught up, dinner was great, I had a fantastic time," Rory began.

"But?" asked Kate.

"There's no but, really. I mean, I got the definite impression that he was flirting with my subtly, but Finn has always been quite the flirt. He's changed, though. He's not as crazy as he was in college. He was constantly drinking and partying then, and it seems like he's settled down now."

"We want details, not Spark Notes, Rory! Tell us more!" Laura said with a laugh.

"It was really good. It felt like a date, but I don't know if he felt it, too. When he held my hand or put his hand on the small of my back there were definite sparks felt on my part. God, I wish I could read his mind!" Rory said with a sigh. "I thought for a minute he might kiss me goodnight, but he only kissed me on the cheek and hugged me and told he he'd see me tomorrow."

"Did you want him to kiss you goodnight?" asked Kate.

"It wasn't the burning question on my mind all night long or anything, but yeah, I think I did. Oh! And when we were leaving, he said something about every man in the room wanting to know who the beautiful woman on his arm was, and when I told him that he was delusional he told me that I was the most beautiful woman he'd ever had the pleasure to accompany."

"Oh wow, he's good," swooned Laura.

"What do I do, guys?! See, this is why I don't date often. It's one thing if it's one of my Grandma's setups, because I'm never interested in them, but being all girly and conflicted so isn't my thing!" Rory exclaimed.

"Relax, Rory. Let's watch a movie and we'll crash in here with you for the night, and then we'll pick up the insanity tomorrow morning, okay? Maybe some sleep will help clear your head." said Kate.

"Perfect!" Rory said as she moved to the bed and grabbed the TV remote.

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Finn slowly stripped down to his boxers when he returned to his suite and settled on the couch, turning on the television just to have some noise. He had been more than ready to go back home until he saw a certain blue-eyed reporter this morning. As he turned his thoughts back to dinner, he tried to think back to their interactions during the evening. He had certainly felt like the evening was more of a date than two friends catching up, and he was almost certain that Rory had wanted him to kiss her when he walked her to his room.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Dating was so much easier in college. Of course, what he did in college really couldn't be considered dating, and college dating certainly wasn't what was on his mind tonight. He hadn't been that guy in a while, and Rory wasn't that girl, as much as she had tried to be for Logan at the beginning of their relationship.

Shit. Logan. Logan had moved on, but what would he say about the possibility of Finn wanting to pursue Rory? And did he really want to bring up that possibility if he wasn't certain that Rory was interested in him?

Finn picked up his phone and shot off a quick text to Colin. The last thing he wanted to do was to text Colin about his dilemma if he was out with Huntzberger.

 _Home with the Mrs. tonight or our with our mutual friends, mate?_

She's not the Mrs. yet, man, but I'm home with her. How's Chicago?

 _Chicago's interesting. I wouldn't have believed you if you'd told me before I left that the one and only Rory Gilmore was staying here and reporting from the campaign trail._

No shit, man? Have you seen her?

 _Indeed I have. I caught a glimpse of her this morning and then she saw me in the lobby. We caught up over dinner._

Need I remind you to tread lightly, Finn? You've always had a soft spot for her. How is she?

 _She's good. Gorgeous as ever. Seems that she's over Huntz. Enjoys her job._

I'm assuming that you didn't text me this late just to update me on her life?

 _No, mate. It turns out that I am still just as intrigued by her._

Any idea if she feels the same way?

 _I kind of got the impression she wanted me to kiss her goodnight._

And did you?

 _No. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to, but I didn't. Am I crazy for even wondering if it could work?_

Finn, you've always been crazy. You know you'll have to talk to Logan, right? You can't go behind his back if you're going to start seeing her.

 _Don't remind me. Do I talk to him now or wait until I get a better idea of whether or not she might be interested?_

Your call, man. Do you want to have that conversation out of the way before you talk to Rory? Or would you rather him not know about the possibility of you dating her if she's not interested?

 _I'll sleep on it and let you know in the morning, mate._

With a sigh, Finn moved to the bed and turned off the lights in hope of sleeping.

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Rory awoke with a start the next morning when her alarm went off. She was momentarily confused. She had been dreaming, and it had seemed so real. She had dreamed about being on another date with Finn, and there had definitely been a goodnight kiss that had lead to things that she blushed just thinking about. She sighed and woke her friends up before starting the coffee maker.

"Ugh. Gilmore girls will never like mornings. What are you guys up to this morning?" she asked Kate and Laura.

"Want to meet for breakfast in the hotel restaurant in an hour?" Kate asked. "We don't have anything to cover until this afternoon."

"Sure! I'll see you guys downstairs shortly," Rory replied as the two walked out the door to return to their rooms.

Rory showered, dried and styled her hair and put on a touch of makeup quickly before picking out her outfit. She opted for a black pencil skirt and a white blouse with red pinstripes with her black ballet flats. With five minutes to spare, she grabbed her purse, room key and cell phone and and walked towards the elevator, meeting Kate and Laura on the way.

"So, how are you feeling this morning?" Kate asked as they waited for the elevator.

"A little more calm than last night, actually. I'm just going to try not to overanalyze. If I see him again, I see him again. If I don't, I don't. It's not like this is a great time to start a relationship, right?" Rory asked rhetorically as they boarded the elevator.

"I'll agree with you trying not to overanalyze. Just relax, Ror. Don't force anything. If it feels right, it feels right," replied Laura as the elevator dinged and they exited in the hotel lobby.

As if fate had a mind of its own, Finn walked into the lobby mere seconds after the ladies had gotten out of the elevator.

"Kitten!" she heard him exclaim as he quickly crossed the lobby and pulled her close, kissing her on the cheek before turning to face her friends. He looked incredible today in a blue suit with a grey shirt, the top two buttons unbuttoned. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, returning his greeting, and couldn't help but be very aware of the fact that his arm was still left firmly around her shoulders from when he had pulled her into him to say hello. She made a very hard-fought effort not to overthink what was going on and laid her arm gently around his waist, hugging him briefly but leaving her arm in place.

"Good morning, Finny!" she said with a giggle.

"Now, love, what have I told you about that nickname?" he said with a blush.

"Hmm...I thought it was just that I'm the only one allowed to use it?" she asked as she batted her eyes at the unsuspecting Australian.

"Damn those Bambi eyes. I swear, every man in the world must be unable to resist them. Fine, you're the only one who can call me Finny," he replied with an exaggerated sigh.

"Aw, thank you!" she beamed.

"Now, who are these lovely ladies you're with this morning?" Finn asked as he turned his attention back to her friends.

"Finn, these are my friends Kate and Laura. They're also on the campaign trail, so we've spent almost every day of the last 16 months together. Kate and Laura, this is my friend Finn Morgan."

"It's lovely to meet you both," Finn said as he took first Kate's hand and then Laura's and laid a featherlight kiss on their knuckles, never removing his arm from Rory's shoulders.

"So, kitten, what's your schedule like today? Do you have any time for me?" Finn asked.

"Sure! We're just heading to breakfast at the hotel restaurant now, and then I have an event to cover this afternoon. I'm free this evening, though, if you'd like to do something."

"Absolutely, love! I will leave you lovely ladies to breakfast, and I will text you a bit later, Miss Gilmore," Finn said as he sent a flirtatious smile her way. He tightened his arm around her shoulders one last time, pulling her in for another small hug, before kissing her forehead and walking toward an office with a wink.

The moment the office door had shut behind Finn, Laura and Kate were squealing and talking loudly.

"Really, guys, can we tone it down a bit and head to the restaurant? I promise I'll listen to whatever it is that you want to say once we're seated," Rory said with mock exasperation.

Kate and Laura quickly agreed and they walked across the lobby to the hotel restaurant and were immediately seated at a table. Rory could tell that they were both dying to start talking, but she held them off until they had coffee in their cups and had ordered their breakfast. They looked like they might explode at any moment, and Rory couldn't help but be amused. She finally put them out of their misery.

"Alright, let's hear it. What are you two dying to say?"

"There's no way that man isn't into you, Rory!" Kate said excitedly. "I mean, he looked at you like you were the only woman in the room, and he definitely didn't want you let you out of his grasp."

"I can't believe I'm going to admit this, but I think you guys might be right," Rory replied softly.

"So…?" Laura asked.

"So…," Rory parroted.

"How are you feeling about all of this now? Throw us a bone, Gilmore!" exclaimed Kate.

"I feel like I'm looking forward to tonight," Rory replied with a blush as their breakfast was placed in front of them.

"Ooh, you should invite him to the gala Thursday night! I bet that man looks amazing in a tux," Laura said with a dreamy smile.

"Let's see how tonight goes first, Laura," Rory laughed.

The girls descended into laughter as they ate their breakfast and talked animatedly about Rory's potential new love interest, work, and job possibilities as the campaign was coming to a close. They were all laughing and lost in conversation as their waiter approached their table with what appeared to be a plain, folded white card.

"Miss Gilmore?" the waiter asked.

"Yes, that's me," Rory replied, confused.

"For you, miss," the waiter said as he placed the card in her hand and turned and walked off.

Rory opened the card and smiled as she read what was inside.

 _Breakfast is my treat, kitten. I hope you ladies enjoyed it. I thought we might stay in tonight for a movie night? I'll text you later. By the way, you look lovely today. Very sexy librarian. Enjoy your day! -Finn_

"Well?" both Laura and Kate asked at the same time, eyeing Rory curiously.

"Finn treated us all to breakfast, and he suggested a movie night tonight," Rory grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

Finn picked up his phone for the sixth time in as many minutes, trying to talk himself into making this phone call. Seeing Rory in the lobby this morning seemed to clarify in his mind that she potentially was interested in dating him, and he wanted to talk with Logan before approaching any conversation about a relationship with Rory. He knew that it was the right thing to do, but it didn't make it any easier. He couldn't help but think back to how heartbroken Logan had been when he and Rory had broken up, but it really appeared that he had moved on now. With a deep breath, Finn scrolled through his contacts and hit the call button on his phone.

"Finn, man! How's Chicago? Ready to head back to the City yet?" came Logan's voice.

"Chicago's crazy, mate, or rather, the hotel is crazy with all of the campaign events we're hosting this week. How's life at home?"

"Same as always. Work, events, listening to my mother bug me incessantly about when I'm going to propose to Stacey. It never ends."

"And how are things with the lovely Miss Fallon?" Finn asked.

"They're the same as they have been, Finn. Frankly, I'm actually considering buying a ring. She would make a good wife for a man in my position, and my parents would be ecstatic."

"Wow, I didn't realize that things had gotten that serious, mate. Let me know when you pop the question and we'll all get together to celebrate."

"Will do, man. Listen, I have a board meeting in ten minutes. Did you need anything?"

"Actually, I did have a reason for calling. Did you know that the lovely Miss Rory Gilmore is writing on the presidential campaign trail?" Finn asked.

"I actually did. I'm the one who introduced her to Hugo. Still, it's not every day that you call me to update me on my ex. What's going on?"

"Well, I ran into her yesterday at the hotel and we had dinner last night to catch up. I actually was considering asking her out on a date, mate, but I wanted to talk with you first. I know we usually avoid dating a friend's ex, but I know you've moved on."

"Why Rory, Finn? There's no shortage of women who would love the chance to go out with you."

"Why Rory? Because it's Rory, mate. You know her. She's gorgeous, intelligent, witty, fun. She's the whole package. I actually had a crush on her in college, but obviously never said anything because you two were together. When I ran into her yesterday it seemed like the time might be right to see if there's anything there."

"Wow. I'm not sure what to say, man. Don't get me wrong, a part of me will always love Rory, but I am with Stacey now. I can't say that I'm thrilled about it, but I guess there's no real reason you can't pursue her. Just treat her well, okay? If anything, learn from my mistakes with her. She deserves happiness. You guys are two totally different people, but maybe that will be what makes it work."

"Thank you, mate. I really appreciate you giving me your go ahead. I promise to treat her right if she agrees to date me. I'll let you get to your board meeting."

"Sounds good, Finn. Let me know if she agrees to a date, and give me a warning if she'll be coming with you when we all get together, if you would. I'll need to warn Stacey to prevent World War III."

"Will do, man. See you next week."

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Logan hung up in a daze. Rory Gilmore. It had been 16 months since he had seen her, since that fateful day that she turned down his proposal and he was stupid enough to give her an ultimatum. She was without question the one who got away. Not a week went by that he didn't compare his current relationship with Stacey with what he'd had with Rory. Stacey would make a great society wife, falling easily into her role as a Shira Junior, but he couldn't think about marrying her without thinking about what could have been if Rory had accepted his proposal. While Rory would never be a society wife, she would have been an amazing partner in life. How brilliantly poetic that when he's finally considering proposing to Miss Good-Enough, Miss Perfect comes walking back into the life of one of his best friends.

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Rory's head was in the clouds as she returned to her hotel room after breakfast with Laura and Kate. She kicked off her shoes and sat in the chair next to the window, picking up her Kindle to read a bit during her downtime. She still vastly preferred reading paper copies of books, but she was limited on space with her constant traveling and living out of a suitcase so her mom had given her a Kindle for her birthday last year.

Thinking about her mom, Rory sighed and picked up the phone, dialing the familiar number.

"Hey, kiddo!" her mom greeted enthusiastically.

"Morning, Mom! How's life there?"

"No different than it was last night, missy, so stop stalling! How was dinner with the hot Aussie?"

"Mom, his name is Finn!" Rory replied with an exasperated sigh.

"I know his name, child of mine, but I prefer calling him hot Aussie. Now, spill!"

"It was really nice, Mom. I think he does like me. Actually, I'm almost positive that he does. And there is definite chemistry," Rory sighed dreamily.

"Dirty! What did you guys do?" Lorelai asked with a laugh.

"Nothing like that, Mom! It was just small touches. His hand on my back, offering his hand to help me out of the car, holding my hand on the way back to the car, a kiss on the cheek. And then this morning Laura and Kate and I ran into him on the way to breakfast at the hotel and he definitely seemed to want to keep me close to him. Oh God, I sound like a junior high girl, don't I?"

"Yeah, you really kind of do," Lorelai said with a laugh. "But you know what? I'm not sure I've ever heard you this bubbly about something so small with a guy. It's refreshing. You deserve to find someone who makes you feel excited and happy, Ror. Maybe Finn will be that guy. I'm used to hearing you tell me all of the reasons why a date isn't right for you; hearing you talk about the reasons why he might be right for you if a good thing."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Mom! We'll see how tonight goes."

"Oh? Are you seeing lover boy again tonight?"

"Mom! Again, his name is Finn. And yes, apparently we're going to have a movie night," Rory replied with the smile evident in her voice.

"No?"

"Yes!"

"No?"

"Yes, Mom! Movie night tonight. I don't know any details, but I know that's the plan," Rory replied.

"He's gorgeous, rich, charming, and he obviously shares the Gilmore love for movie nights. He might just be perfect, kiddo."

"Again, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Mom."

"I'll do my best, kiddo. I want to hear everything tomorrow, understand? Now, Mommy has to go boss people around and make sure Michel doesn't hurt anyone. Love you, Ror!"

"I love you too, Mom!" Rory said as she hung up the phone and picked her Kindle up again to read before the event this afternoon.

Rory had only been reading for about twenty minutes when her phone dinged to notify her of an incoming text message.

 _Movie night at 7:00 in my room, kitten? I have a couch and DVD player. -Finn_

Sounds perfect, Finn! Just tell me where to go.

 _I'll come to your room and meet you. Dress comfy. I assume Gilmore girl movie nights haven't changed much since college?_

Only in frequency. We still do the same thing, just not nearly as often. I haven't had one in months.

 _Well, I shall see to it that your dry spell is broken tonight, love._

You're the best! Have a great day, Finn. See you soon!

 _Until tonight, kitten._

Rory took a moment to save Finn's phone number to her cell phone before picking her Kindle up again and losing herself in Pride and Prejudice until time for the afternoon campaign event.

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Rory let out a sigh of relief as she saved and submitted her article at 6:30, grateful to be finished for the night. Her thoughts kept drifting to a certain Aussie the entire time she was writing and proofing her article, and consequently it took her twice as long as usual to finish the piece on today's rally.

Closing her laptop, she crossed the room to her suitcase and began discarding articles of clothing on the bed as she tried to decide what to wear. After five minutes of growling in frustration, she finally decided on a pair of nice jeans that hugged her curves, a deep maroon peasant style shirt, and brown sandals. She looked in the mirror, giving herself a critical once-over, and decided that she looked casual enough while still looking nice. She had just swiped on some lip gloss when she heard a knock on the door.

She reached over and answered the door quickly, and there stood Finn wearing a pair of dark wash jeans that were worn perfectly and a soft grey pullover. She was momentarily stunned as she took in the man in front of her. She had never seen him so casual, and the look definitely suited him. Finn looked good in anything, but something about seeing him so casual made her heartbeat speed up. She was still staring when his amused voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"You know, kitten, if I didn't know better I would swear you were checking me out," he said with a chuckle.

"What? No! I mean, I've never seen you look so casual, Finn" Rory replied with a blush.

"Expecting a suit for a movie night, Miss Gilmore? I could go change…" he trailed off with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Rory slowly shook herself back to the moment. How in the world was it that just seeing him in jeans and a t-shirt left her speechless?

"No, I like it! You look nice, Finn," she said with a shy smile. "I was just surprised. Like I said, I've never seen you in jeans."

"Times change, kitten. New and improved Finn and all, right? Now, shall we?" Finn asked, holding his hand out to beckon her toward the elevator.

"Yeah, just one second," Rory replied. She quickly walked over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone from the charger and put her key card in her back pocket, taking a few deep breaths and trying to relax before returning to the door. Feeling more calm, she turned and walked back to the door with a smile, taking Finn's outstretched hand and closing her door behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

Finn couldn't help but chuckle at Rory's reaction to him standing in her hotel room door. It was refreshing for a woman to appreciate jeans and a pullover as much as a suit and tie, and that was even more true of a woman like Rory Gilmore. She fit in with the society lifestyle when it was needed, always a perfect picture of grace and class, but that wasn't who she truly was at heart, and that just made her even more attractive to him.

He was pleasantly surprised when Rory took his offered hand and couldn't deny the effect that her simple touch had on his body. He felt as though his senses were all on high alert at this new sensation. Shit! He was pining hopelessly, and that was not something he was accustomed to.

He pressed the button for the top floor of the hotel after putting his access key in turned to face Rory.

"How was your day, love?" he asked.

"It was good. I had some down time today to call home and read, which was really nice. It's actually nice to be in one place for an entire week; that seems to happen so infrequently. How was your day?"

"It was busy but uneventful, which is exactly what I hoped for. Things are going smoothly here, much to my relief," Finn answered as he stepped off the elevator and lead Rory down the hall. Rory stopped suddenly at seeing the Secret Service agents standing outside the door at the end of the hall.

"Finn, is that...are you staying on the same floor as Senator Obama?"

"Well, he has to stay somewhere, doesn't he?" Finn chuckled. "Yes, kitten. That's why I came down to get you; you'd never manage to get up here otherwise with security being so tight," he answered as he pulled her to the side of the hall and slid the key card in the door to his suite. He ushered Rory inside, closing the door behind them, and pulling her to a stop in front of him before placing his hands over her eyes.

"Finn, what are you doing?" she asked as her hands came up to meet his.

"Just enjoying surprising you a little, love. You said it's been months since you've had a movie night, so I thought we'd do it up right," he answered as he steered her through the doorway into the living room and turning her around so she was facing away from the couch and coffee table so he could see her reaction to the movie night setup he'd managed. "Alright, here you go," he said as he took his hands off of her eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to see the coffee table full of food. Her eyes lit up as she stood speechless for a full minute.

"Wow...I...wow. Finn, how did you know?" she finally asked with watery eyes. There was Chinese food, a pizza, Red Vines, Mallomars, marshmallows, Pop-Tarts, and a full pot of coffee sitting on the table.

"You'd be surprised what I remember about you from college, pet. We all came over for many movie nights; that's why I asked you this morning if movie nights were still the same," he replied softly, looking in her beautiful eyes.

Rory threw herself into his arms for the second time in as many days, and he wrapped his arms around her petite frame, savoring her unique scent and the feel of having her in his arms. As she slowly stepped away from him and looked up, he noticed tears in her eyes.

"Are you alright, kitten?" he asked, his voice laced with concern, as he lead her over to the couch.

"I'm great, Finn, I promise. It's just...I miss home so much, and you doing this is so incredibly sweet. Having this makes me feel closer to home; it makes me feel like I can make it through these last two months," she replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Finn's heart simultaneously broke for Rory's missing home and swelled with happiness that he was able to do something that obviously meant so much to her. He sat down and pulled her down onto his lap, enveloping her in his arms and letting her cry a few more tears before she pulled herself back together. Drying the last of her tears, she looked up at him through her wet eyelashes, and it melted his heart.

"You're amazing, Finn," she said softly.

"It was nothing, really."

"No, it's amazing, and you're amazing. Thank you so much, Finn. This is just...wow."

"Anything for you, love," he replied, feeling intoxicated by her close proximity. He quickly realized that he needed a bit more space in order to have any hope of not attempting to kiss her. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Starving!" she replied with a laugh.

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Rory hadn't had this great of an evening in what seemed like forever. She and Finn laughed, joked, and talked through their Chinese food and pizza. He adorably fed her bites of Chinese food from his chopsticks, and she returned the favor by tearing off bites of her pizza and feeding them to him. She couldn't remember feeling this relaxed and at home with any guy, and it was so refreshing. And then there was the amazingly sweet gesture of setting up this whole movie night, just like they'd had with the whole gang back in college. This had to be the most perfect non-date night ever.

Finally finishing their food, Finn's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Ready for movies, kitten?"

"Yes! What are we watching, Finny?" she asked as Finn just rolled his eyes at the nickname.

"Well, I thought we'd watch one of my favorites and one of yours. I have them all ready to go," Finn replied. She watched him get up and grab two throw blankets before turning off the lights and returning to the couch. He sat with a small distance between the two of them, handed her a blanket and pressed play.

"You didn't?!" she exclaimed as the opening credits started.

"I didn't what, kitten?" he asked with an ornery grin.

"You seriously got my favorite movie ever? I haven't seen Willy Wonka since the last time I was home, Finn!"

"Oh, that?" he shot back with a playful smirk. "I guess I did, didn't I?

"You really are amazing!"

"Anything for you, love. Anything for you," he responded huskily.

By the time Charlie found his golden ticket, they both had their feet up on the coffee table and had scooted closer to each other. Before the tour of the chocolate factory started, she had laid her head on his shoulder, relishing having him close. By the time Veruca was deemed a bad egg, he had laid his arm casually on her shoulders. And by the time Charlie was taking a trip in the glass elevator, she was curled snugly into his side with his arm wrapped around her, and he couldn't help but feel like all was right in his world. She made the cutest little whining noise as he sat up to turn on Pulp Fiction, and when he sat back down on the couch he smiled as she instantly curled right back into him. She hadn't felt this peaceful and content in a very long time, and she loved it.

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Finn was hardly focused on watching the movie in front of him; he was marveling at the ease with which they were curled into each other on the couch and the feel of having this woman in his arms, the way she so perfectly fit next to him. It just felt right, and it spurred him on to break the comfortable silence in order to get an answer to the question that was burning in his mind.

"Enjoying yourself, kitten?" he asked quietly.

"Absolutely. I can't tell you the last time I've enjoyed myself this much, Finn. It was definitely before graduation. Have I said thank you recently?" she asked with a coy giggle.

"I do believe you've thanked me adequately, Miss Gilmore," he began. He took a moment and took a deep breath. "So, I was thinking…"

"Always a positive. Anything in particular?"

"Actually, yes. I wondered if perhaps...well, you see…" he began as he blushed.

She turned to face him and looked at him with those blue eyes.

"You okay there, Finn? I've never known you to be at a loss for words."

"I'm fine, dear. As I was saying, I've really enjoyed myself these last couple of days, getting to spend some time with you," he said haltingly.

"I've really enjoyed it as well, Finn. Really, I can't tell you the last time I felt this relaxed and happy."

Finn took a deep breath and forced himself to continue.

"I'm so glad that you're enjoying yourself. I was hoping you might like to try dating each other perhaps?" he finally asked, suddenly very unsure of himself.

"I...wow. I mean, I kind of suspected that you might be interested in me, but I'm still kind of surprised, Finn. I mean, it's a good surprise. But how would we even manage that? I'm here until the end of the week, but then I'm back to traveling across the country for the next two months. And what about Logan? I mean, I can't imagine that he would be thrilled about him dating his ex. I thought you guys had some kind of rule about that, right? I wouldn't want to cause problems with you two."

She looked so cute gesticulating wildly and ranting like only Rory could, and he loved it. As she continued to rattle off thoughts about how to make it work and whether or not Logan would be okay with them dating, he turned and took her hands in one of his and moved his other hand to her chin, turning her head so that her eyes met his.

"Hey, Rory?" he cut in, momentarily silencing her ranting.

"Hmm?"

"Unless you tell me not to, I'm going to kiss you in about two seconds," he said while making eye contact.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay," she answered softly.

He leaned toward her slowly, watching a myriad of emotions in her eyes as his lips came close to hers. He paused for a moment, relishing the feel of having her close enough to feel her breath on his lips, and then closed the distance and kissed her tenderly. He was intoxicated by her silky, soft lips. He moved his hands to her back as she pulled her hands free from his and placed them on his neck, gently running her fingers through his hair. He pulled back just enough to break contact and looked at her, her eyes still closed and a smile on her lips. She looked gorgeous. Before he could think another thought, she moved forward and captured his lower lip between hers, nibbling gently and teasing him with her tongue. He parted his lips to allow her to deepen the kiss, and he almost came undone as she moaned into his mouth while their tongues gently explored each other. They parted in a daze, both wide-eyed and breathing heavily.

"Finn?"

"Hmm?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes. We'll figure out the logistics as we go. Sound good?"

"Sounds amazing, kitten," he answered. "By the way, I decided to man up and I called Logan this morning to talk to him before I asked you out. He says he's good with it."

"You are the best, Finn! Now I'm even more sure. Now, where were we?" she mused as she leaned into him and kissed him again.

They curled back into each other's arms, hands joined, kissing every few minutes as the movie continued, both enjoying the new sensations that they were experiencing. As they got more comfortable with each other, Finn shifted his body to lean against the arm of the couch with Rory curled up in between his legs and her head on his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her, and before the closing credits to Pulp Fiction rolled they were both asleep on the couch, sleeping peacefully in each other's arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 _ **A/N: You guys truly are amazing. Every single review or comment makes my whole day, and they make me want to keep writing even more. I'm so thrilled that you're enjoying the story!**_

Finn stirred slowly as his alarm on his cell phone went off the next morning, reaching over to turn it off before snuggling into Rory again. They had fallen asleep on the couch, and she was now sleeping laying on his chest. He laid there enjoying having her in his arms for a few more minutes before carefully getting up, settling her back on the couch and pulling the blanket up over her.

"Finn?" she asked sleepily.

"I'm here, kitten. I need to shower and get ready for work. You sleep for a bit and I'll call for coffee and breakfast for us. I'll walk you to your room on my way down to my office, okay?"

"Mmm. Okay, but it won't be as nice as you sleeping with me. That was the best night of sleep in forever," for mumbled as she began to doze off again.

Finn stood there for a moment, watching the beautiful woman who was asleep in his room and feeling completely content. He finally shook himself free from his thoughts and called room service for coffee and breakfast before proceeding to the shower. He let the hot water rain down on his body, easing the aches and kinks from having slept on a couch, but he realized that he'd rather sleep on the couch with her than in the bed without her.

He turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, taking time to brush his teeth and towel his hair off, and then walked into the room to find Rory awake, much to his surprise.

"Sorry, love. I didn't think you'd be up yet or I would have gotten dressed before I came out of the bathroom," Finn said with a wink.

"Hey, if we're dating I'm pretty sure I can gawk at you in a towel, right? I mean, isn't that one of the perks?" Rory mused with a mischievous grin.

"By all means, dear, gawk all you want," Finn answered with a chuckle. "And here I thought I might have embarrassed you when I came out here in a towel and you were awake…" Finn trailed off.

Rory just smiled as she crossed the room wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes so she could kiss him. Finn wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, and returned her kiss with just as much intensity. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and they both groaned in frustration at the interruption.

"Kitten, could you get that please? It's room service."

"I'm on it, Finn. You'd better go get dressed if you want to make it out of this room today!" she said with a laugh.

Rory answered the door and wheeled the cart into the room and set their breakfast on the dining table while Finn dressed, and she was already diving into her breakfast when he returned to their room and sat down across from her to eat his breakfast.

"I must say, Mr. Morgan, you look almost as nice in your custom-tailored suit as you do in your towel," Rory said with a smirk.

"My, my, Miss Gilmore. I never would have expected you to be so forward," he retorted in mock disgust.

"Hey, it's just another one of the perks that come with dating you, right?" Rory said with a giggle.

"I think I'm going to have to get an exhaustive list of these perks, kitten. Please tell me that they're reciprocal?" Finn chuckled.

"Oh, they most certainly are reciprocal!" Rory said with a wink.

"As much as I'd love to continue this discussion on reciprocal perks of dating you, I must get to my office, kitten. Ready?"

"Yep, let me just grab my purse and I'll be ready. You know you don't have to walk me to my room, right?"

"I think if you'll consult that list of yours you'll find that it's one of the perks," Finn replied as he wrapped his arm around her and walked toward the elevator.

"Mmm...I must say, it certainly appears that there are many benefits to dating you, Mr. Morgan," Rory laughed as they got on the elevator and pressed the button for her floor.

"Ah yes, you'll have to stick around so you can discover them all, love," Finn said as he pulled her in for another kiss just before the elevator arrived at their floor.

They proceeded down the hall to Rory's room and Finn was surprised to find a man knocking on her door.

"Oh hey, Matt. What's going on?" Rory asked the unfamiliar man. Matt looked at the two of them for a minute before answering, and Finn could immediately tell that the other man was uncomfortable.

"Oh, nothing much. I was just uhh...wondering if you might like to grab dinner tonight?" Matt asked. Finn chuckled to himself. Apparently he wasn't the only one who was enamored with the woman his arm was around; this made at least two men he'd met just this week.

"Oh, I'm sorry! So rude of me. Finn, this is Matt. He's another reporter on the trail with me. Matt, this is -"

Finn couldn't help himself and jumped to finish the introduction, hoping to get the word out that Rory was seeing someone.

"I'm Finn Morgan, Rory's boyfriend. It's nice to meet you, Matt," Finn supplied as he held out his hand to the other man.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Finn. I'm sorry; I didn't realize Rory was seeing anyone," Matt replied.

"Oh, actually, it's new. But yeah, I'm seeing someone," Rory replied with a giggle at Finn's subtle manner of letting Matt know that she wasn't available.

"Well, I'm just going to go get to work on my next article," Matt said awkwardly as he turned to leave quickly. As soon as he had walked down the hall Rory began laughing.

"My, my, Mr. Morgan. Trying to ensure that everyone knows I'm taken?" Rory asked as she laughed.

"What can I say? I saw the way your relationship with Logan started, and I don't want to make the same mistakes. I just want to be clear on what we are," Finn said shyly.

"I think it's adorable, Finn. Just for the record, I think you're going to be an excellent boyfriend. Just make sure that you're just as quick to tell all of the women who try to turn on the charm that you're my boyfriend as well," Rory said as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.

"No worries there, kitten. That would be another one of his mistakes that I don't care to repeat. Now, I must get to work, but my office is right across from the front desk. Stop in and say hi if you happen to walk by, okay?"

"I'll definitely stop by and say hi after I shower and go grab some more coffee. Have a great day, okay?"

Finn leaned down to kiss Rory and pulled her closer as her hands found their way to his hair. Neither realized that Kate and Laura had emerged into the hallway and were watching the pair. They pulled apart after a minute and Finn smiled at Rory.

"It's already off to an excellent start, love. I'm off to work! I'll see you tonight?"

"You'll see me before tonight, but tonight sounds great as well. Now, off to the office, boyfriend!" Rory said with a giggle as she playfully pushed him toward the elevator. She watched him get on the elevator and sighed as she turned back to her door only to see her two girlfriends standing behind her giggling.

"So, how long were you guys watching?" Rory asked with a blush.

"Long enough to see that kiss, and I must say that it looked like you were weak in the knees there, Gilmore," Kate said with a laugh. "Now, we want details, missy!"

"Alright, why don't you guys come hang out while I take a quick shower and then I'll catch you both up while I get ready?" Rory asked.

"Let's go!" replied Laura.

Rory slid her key card in her door and entered her room, allowing her two friends to follow her in.

"So, before you take your shower, care to tell us why you're doing the walk of shame this morning?" Kate asked with a laugh.

"What? No! It's not like that. We had a movie night and we both fell asleep on the couch before the last movie was over. I did not sleep with him! Well, I mean, I did sleep with him, but just sleep," Rory said as she blushed.

"If you say so," Laura teased. "Now, shower so you can tell us what's really going on!"

Rory showered quickly before returning to her room to join Kate and Laura, who were sitting on the bed. Just as she sat down, there was a knock on her door.

"I don't know who that could be. Could one of you guys grab the door please?" Rory asked as she got clothes from her suitcase and returned to the bathroom to change out of her robe.

As soon as she returned to the room she saw a pot of coffee with three coffee cups and a note sitting on the dresser.

"Where did that come from?" Rory asked.

"Room service," replied Kate.

"I didn't order room service," Rory began as she opened the note. "Oh wow, that's so sweet!" Rory mused as she put the note down and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Care to share with the class, Gilmore?" asked Laura.

"Hmm? Oh! Here, have a cup!"

Kate walked over and grabbed a cup of coffee as she snatched the note up off of the dresser and read it.

"Aw, that is sweet!" Kate said as Rory glared at her.

"Alright, don't leave me out! What's so sweet?" asked Laura.

"It's from lover boy, and his note says 'Hope you have a great day, kitten. I think you'll find that an endless supply of coffee is another one of those perks that come with dating me. I can't wait to see you again. -Finn'"

"Oh wow, he already knows how caffeine-dependent you are and is enabling you. He might just be perfect," Laura says with a laugh. "Now, tell us about last night!"

"It was perfect! He came down and met me and walked me up to his suite, and he put together a whole Gilmore-style movie night with tons of junk food and coffee and pizza and Chinese, and he got his favorite movie and my favorite movie. It was so sweet! We laughed and enjoyed dinner and then started the movie, and before I knew it we were all snuggled up on the couch next to each other. He was so adorably nervous when he asked me if I would be interested in dating him, and then when I went into one of my classic rants about how we'd make it work with me still being on the road for the next two months and whether or not Logan would hate him for dating me he told me he was going to kiss me," Rory said in one breath.

"That is so sweet that he went to all that effort to set up a movie night for you!" Kate squealed. "So, did he kiss you?"

"Yep," Rory said with a huge grin.

"And?" Kate asked.

"Let's just say that I wasn't thinking about anything other than him during that kiss, and I no longer cared about logistics or the blessing of the ex-boyfriend," Rory said with a giggle.

"That good, huh?" asked Laura.

"Definitely that good," Rory replied with a dreamy sigh. "Oh, and then he insisted on walking me to my room this morning, and we walk up to my door and Matt is standing there and asked me if I wanted to grab dinner tonight. It was so awkward and I decided to start making introductions, and after I introduce Matt, Finn cuts in and introduces himself as my boyfriend. It was so adorably cute! Of course, I don't think Matt felt that way" Rory gushed.

The three girls continued chatting about Rory's new love interest, life and their jobs as Rory finished getting ready and they finished off the pot of coffee as Rory talked to her mom on the phone to fill her in on the new development. Before they knew it, there was just enough time to grab a quick bite to eat from the deli next door before their next campaign event. They piled onto the elevator and the doors were just about to shut just as Matt and Sam both boarded the elevator with them.

"Ladies," the men both greeted them.

"Hey, guys. We were just headed next door for lunch. Care to join us?" Kate asked as Rory discreetly elbowed her in the ribs.

"Sure, I'm good if you are," Matt replied as he looked to Sam.

"Yeah, why not?" Sam added.

The doors to the elevator opened in the lobby and Rory stopped them all near the front desk.

"Give me just a minute, guys. I promised Finn I'd say hello if I was near the office. I promise I'll just be a second," she said as she walked over toward the offices. Just before she reached the office, the door opened and Finn walked out with a surprised smile.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Finn said as he reached down and kissed Rory gently. "Have you had lunch yet, kitten? I was just going to walk next door and grab something."

"Actually, the girls and I were just headed next door as well, and then we met up with the guys in the elevator and Kate asked them to join us. Want to come with?" Rory asked with pleading eyes.

"Absolutely," Finn answered as he wrapped his arm around Rory and they continued to the group.

"Guys, Finn was just headed next door as well, so he's going to join us," Rory said as they approached the group. They all turned to walk out of the lobby and Rory leaned up to whisper in Finn's ear. "Thank you so much! Talk about awkward. I could have killed Kate," she whispered as she giggled.

"Anytime, love," Finn chuckled as he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

The group ordered their food at the deli counter, and Kate and Laura swooned when Finn insisted that lunch was his treat. As they settled into their table to enjoy their lunch, the questions and teasing began.

"So, Gilmore," Sam began with a pointed glare, "I thought you said Finn was an old friend from Yale?"

"Umm...he is," Rory said with confusion written all over her face.

"Pardon me for being so forward, but he doesn't exactly look like an old friend right now," Sam continued. "You'll have to excuse us, Finn, but we're more accustomed to her shooting down any male who comes within ten feet of her."

"As I hope she'll continue to," Finn chuckled as he dropped a quick kiss on her temple before continuing, "Seeing as I'm not just an old friend from Yale now."

"So the rumors are true?" asked Sam.

"What rumors?" Rory asked.

"Well, a couple of people said they saw you kissing some guy in the hall this morning, and Matt here seems to be under the impression that you have a new boyfriend," said Sam.

"Then yes, the rumors are absolutely true," Rory said with a smile. "I was in fact kissing my boyfriend outside my door this morning."

"God, you two are nauseatingly cute," Laura groaned with a giggle.

"Wow. I've gotta hand it to you, man," Sam said looking at Finn, "Many have tried over the last 16 months, but none have succeeded in getting anything other than a resounding no from the lovely Miss Gilmore. You're one lucky man."

"Don't I know it," Finn said with a smirk as he finished his lunch. "Now, I have to get back, kitten. I'll see you tonight; just text me and let me know if you want to stay in or go out," he said as he pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss.

Rory kissed Finn goodbye and turned back to the table to the awkward stares and silence from Matt and Chris.

"Your new boyfriend seems pretty amazing there, Rory," said Kate in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"Yep, no arguments there. He's a great guy. Of course, I've known him for years. He's settled down a lot since college. Taking over the family business has been good for him," Rory responded.

"What family business? Doesn't he work at the hotel?" asked Sam.

"Umm...something like that, yeah," Rory responded quietly.

"Don't be so shy about it, Gilmore," said Laura.

"Right. Actually, his family owns Morgan Holdings. They own and operate luxury hotels, include the Westfield. He's actually just in town this week to oversee all of the campaign-related activities. He lives in New York," Rory finally says, hoping that will put an end to the questions.

"Holy shit, Gilmore's got herself a rich one. Didn't take you for that type," said Matt.

"Don't kid yourself! She actually dated the Huntzberger heir back in college and turned him down when he proposed," Laura added.

"Laura!" Rory shot back.

"Huntzberger heir? As in the future-CEO of the company I work for?" asked Matt.

"One and the same," replied Rory with a glare toward Laura. "I really don't like talking about it," she said as she got up from the table. "Let's head out, guys. It's almost time for the next event."


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: I'm not big on author's notes, but I want your input! Do you feel like things are going at a reasonable pace? I'm still trying to decide how long it should be until they are intimate with each other. There's still drama and trouble coming up; this won't be all sunshine and rainbows, but it will have a happy ending. I detest continual drama with no resolution for the main characters. Leave a comment or review with your thoughts on the two questions above, as well as any suggestions for things you'd like to see in the story. Thank you for being the best readers ever!**_

Rory sighed as Wednesday's campaign rally ended. She had taken endless notes and was still sitting in her chair staring off in space when she felt two strong hands begin to massage her shoulders.

"You look tired and tense, kitten."

"God, I really am. Sixteen months of this, Finn. Is it November yet?"

"Only two more months to go, love. We'll get through it together," Finn assured her.

"We'll get through it together? I like the sound of that, Mr. Morgan," Rory purred as she relax into his touch.

"Need to finish your article?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry. It may take me an hour or so to finish up before I can hang out."

"You'll never have to apologize to me about having to do your job. Are you finished in here?"

"Yeah, I can head back to my room to write," Rory answered as she stood up and picked up her messenger bag that held her laptop, notepads, and recorder.

"First," Finn started as he took her bag from her and put it over his shoulder, "let me carry your bag. Now, how about we run to your room and grab whatever you'll need for the night and you can come to my room and write? I'll let you work in peace and order room service. We can have dinner in and then crawl in bed and watch television together and relax. You need it."

"God, you really are good at this boyfriend thing. That would be amazing," Rory said with a smile.

"Then off we go, Miss Gilmore!" Finn said with a wink as he took Rory's hand and set off toward the elevator. Finn pulled Rory into his arms, hugging her close, as they waited for the elevators, and he relished in feeling her slowly relax into his body. He lightly rubbed circles on her back as she leaned into him with her head resting on his chest and her arms around his neck.

"Not to sound crazy, Finn, because I know you've been my boyfriend for all of 24 hours, but this is really nice," Rory mumbled into his chest.

"You don't sound crazy at all, kitten. This is really nice," Finn whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

They slowly separated enough to get on the elevator, neither one wanting to break contact with the other anymore than necessary. When they arrived at Rory's floor and walked to her door, she opened the door and flopped down on the bed.

"Just give me two minutes to lay here and then I'll change clothes and grab a couple of things for tonight," Rory said with a sigh.

"Take your time, kitten. I've got all night for you," Finn replied as he laid down next to her and pulled her into his arms, laying her head on his chest.

"You're totally not helping me get out of bed more quickly," Rory said with a laugh.

"I'm quite certain that's not one of those perks of dating me, kitten. I happen to like being in bed," Finn said with a suggestive wink.

"There's the Finn I remember from college!" Rory chuckled. "I'd been wondering where he was hiding."

"I'm still right here. I may be more mature and responsible, but I'm still me, love."

"I'm glad you're still you, Finn," Rory replied as she leaned up and kissed him softly. "Now, I'm off to change clothes!"

"Just grab your PJs or sweats; you need to relax and be comfortable tonight."

"Okay, I'll change and grab something to throw on in the morning. Just give me a minute," Rory said as she grabbed clothes from her suitcase. She walked in the bathroom and washed off her makeup and threw her hair into a messy bun after changing into her Yale sweats and t-shirt. She walked back into her room and sat down to put on his tennis shoes.

"I hope you were serious about being comfortable," Rory said with a grin as she looked up at Finn watching her.

"Completely serious, kitten. You still look beautiful. Do you have a swimsuit with you?"

"Yeah, why?" asked Rory with a puzzled look on her face.

"Just grab it and throw it in with whatever you're bringing and let me worry about why."

"Alright," Rory said with an exaggerated sigh as she went back to her suitcase. She threw the rest of her things in her small bag and walked over to the bed offering Finn her hand to help him up. He stood quickly and took both of her bags before moving to the door.

Rory grabbed her room key and purse and joined Finn at the door, taking his offered hand and walking to the elevator to go to the top floor.

Finn lead Rory into his room, dropping her bags in the living room before moving to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

"You relax and work on your article, kitten, and I'll do some work from my laptop as well. What sounds good for dinner?"

"Hmm...how about burgers and onion rings?"

"Sounds great. I'll go ahead and order while you work. Just let me know when you're finished with your article and I'll be finished for the night then as well."

"I'm pretty sure I've already said this today, but you're amazing, Finn," Rory said as she took her phone and laptop out of her bag and plugged them both in. She then settled on the couch, tucking her legs under her, and opened her laptop and began to work on her article.

Finn stood across the room looking through his briefcase after having ordered room service and couldn't help but watch the beautiful women sitting across the room from him. Her brow was furrowed and her nose was crinkled up she her fingers moved over the keyboard quickly and precisely, expertly crafting her article. She looked so adorable as she focused solely on her work. He finished getting his laptop out and sat on the opposite end of the couch, logging on to return e-mails and review budget and occupancy reports.

"Mind if I turn on some music, Finn?" she asked about ten minutes later. "It helps me focus."

"Not at all, love," he replied.

Rory hit play on her Hep Alien playlist and immediately felt more energized and focused. They worked in quiet companionship for another twenty minutes before there was a knock at the door. Finn crossed the room and answered the door, rolling the room service cart into the living room.

"Oh my gosh, that smells amazing!" Rory exclaimed. "You know you don't have to buy all my meals, don't you?" Rory asked as she stood up and stretched.

"I believe it's one of those perks of dating me, kitten. You won't win that argument, so just let me take care of you," Finn replied as he sat their dinner out on the dining room table.

"Thank you, Finn. Really, you don't have to, but I appreciate it very much," Rory said quietly.

"I know I don't have to, and that's one of the reasons I want to. Now, let's eat! How much longer do you need to finish your article?"

"I actually just need to upload it to the server; it's finished now," Rory replied.

"Excellent! Would you like a drink with dinner?"

"Sure, just surprise me," Rory replied.

Finn walked over to the wet bar and poured a scotch for himself and made a martini for Rory and brought them to the table.

"You know, Finn, this is the most normal I've felt since graduation, other than the couple of times I've gotten to go home," Rory said.

"I don't usually get to relax this much when traveling for business either, love. This is nice."

"Speaking of relaxing, or rather not relaxing, I have to cover that black tie fundraiser event tomorrow night. Will you have to work during the event?"

"No, I just need to be accessible in case there's an issue that needs to be dealt with," Finn responded.

"You could always attend with your new girlfriend and save her from a night of being hit on by men she has no interest in," Rory said as she gave Finn the Bambi eyes.

"There's no need to pull out the Bambi eyes, kitten. I'd be happy to go with you. It's black tie, right?"

"Yes, and you're the best!"

"You'd better watch it or my ego's going to be bigger than Huntzberger's with all of your kind words," Finn said with a laugh, and soon Rory was laughing with him.

"That burger was delicious. It was seriously almost as good as Luke's," Rory said as she finished her burger. "I suddenly have energy again. Is there a gym here in the hotel?"

"A gym? I seem to remember that Gilmore girls don't exercise! Isn't that in your rule book?" Finn chuckled.

"It is, but I started running a few times a week when I joined the campaign trail. It helps me clear my head and deal with stress."

"There is a gym here, but I'll make you a deal. Tonight we relax my way and you let me take care of you, and I'll go for a run with you tomorrow morning before I go to the office. Deal?"

"I didn't know you run!" Rory exclaimed.

"Surely you didn't think that body you saw this morning after my shower happens naturally," Finn teased as Rory blushed.

"Alright, you win. Tonight we'll relax your way, and tomorrow morning we'll go for a run," Rory conceded.

"Go upload your article and I'll be right back," Finn instructed as he disappeared back into the hallway. Rory hadn't been down the hallway yet, having spent all of her time the previous evening in the living room, but she assumed that the bedrooms were in that direction.

Finn returned ten minutes later in a pair of swim trunks and a t-shirt.

"Alright, kitten. Grab your swimsuit and go change in the bathroom."

"You do know there's no swimming pool in your suite, don't you? Or is there?" Rory asked with a laugh.

"Yes, I know there's no swimming pool in my suite. Now get your cute butt in the bathroom and change, woman!" Finn said with mock exasperation.

Rory grabbed her suit and changed in the bathroom, grateful that she had at least packed a cute swimsuit. Her mom had talked her into buying a black halter top and a pair of black bottoms with a wide pink belt last time she was home, assuring her that it looked both hot and classy when she had tried them on, but this was the first time she'd actually worn them. She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to find Finn standing there without his shirt and looking quite irresistible. Fortunately, he seemed to be too distracted to comment on her ogling him.

"You look absolutely ravishing in that swimsuit, kitten. Now, come with me!" Finn said offering her his hand. He lead her down the hall to the last door, which opened to a large bedroom, and across the room to another door. They walked through the door and Rory quickly took in the scene around her. There was a huge two-person jacuzzi taking up one side of the room. There were candles all over the bathroom, giving it a soft glow. Finn had turned on soft music, and a bottle of wine along with two glasses were sitting on the edge of the tub.

"You know, Mr. Morgan, you're setting the standard awfully high here, mister. I mean, 24 hours and you are already being pretty damn amazing," Rory said with a flirty grin.

"What can I say, kitten. Anything for you," Finn smirked back.

He stepped into the tub and held his hand out to Rory to help her step in, and once they were both in he settled in at the back of the tub and guided her down to sit between his legs and lean back on his chest.

"Now, you are going to relax tonight," Finn said as he handed her the rest of her a glass of wine.

"Who am I to argue with my boyfriend?" Rory mused as she took a sip of her wine and laid her head back against him.

Finn took a drink of his wine and put it back down on the side of the bathtub, moving his hands to her neck and massing it to work out the knots and tension.

"Oh God, Finn. I can't begin to tell you how good that feels," Rory purred.

"What can I say, love. My hands are magic," Finn teased.

"Dirty!" Rory said with a giggle.

"Miss Gilmore, did you just make a sexual innuendo?" Finn said with mock shock.

"And now is when I get to tell you that there are a great many things that you don't yet know about me," Rory answered with a coy smile.

"All in good time, dear," Finn replied.

Finn turned Rory to the face him and massaged her arms, hands and feet as they sat in the jacuzzi and talked about their families and their lives while enjoying their wine. By the time he finished with her feet, Rory was much more relaxed than she had felt in months and let out a content sigh.

"Feeling better, kitten?"

"You have no idea, Finn. I feel like a new woman," Rory responded.

"Ready to get out?"

"Mmm...not quite," Rory purred as she moved herself closed to Finn and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close and kissing him tenderly. Finn responded immediately to her kiss, wrapping his arms around her and relishing the sensations that her soft lips were eliciting. She moaned lightly into his mouth as their tongues explored and tangled, and Finn was certain that it was the sexiest noise he had ever heard. After they continued to kiss each other for several minutes, Finn finally moved Rory off of his lap.

"As amazingly sexy as I think you are, kitten, I'm just a man and there's no way I can not attempt to ravish you if we keep this up right now, and as much as I look forward to doing so, I sadly think it should probably be more than 24 hours into our relationship," said Finn with a chuckle.

"As much as it pains me to say, you're right. Alright, let's get out," Rory sighed as she stood up and offered Finn her hands to help him up.

He stepped out of the tub and dried himself off before wrapping a towel around his waist. He then picked Rory up out of the tub and sat her feet back down on the bathroom mat and dried her off, enjoying the intimacy of the situation. After they were both dry they changed into pajamas and came back to the bedroom.

"Finn, is there somewhere I can plug in my phone?" she asked holding up her cell phone and charger.

"Of course, kitten. Which side of the bed do you prefer?" Finn asked.

"I'm good with either side," Rory answered.

Finn plugged her phone in behind the nightstand on the right side of the bed and they both crawled into bed, turning on the television and meeting in the middle of the king-sized bed where Rory curled up on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What's your schedule like tomorrow?" Finn asked.

"We just have the formal fundraising event tomorrow evening at 7:00; other than that I'm free," Rory replied.

"I would like to be in my office by 9:00. How does 7:00 sound for our run?"

"Sounds like I'll need coffee, but I look forward to it," Rory said with a laugh. "You know, I've actually never gone for a run with anyone else before."

"Well, here's to the first of many firsts together," Finn chuckled as he set the alarm and turned off the light. They watched television and drifted off to sleep, each marveling at how content they felt to just be close to the other.


	9. Chapter 9

Rory awoke with a smile Thursday morning, relishing the feeling of Finn's strong arms around her as they cuddled together. For whatever reason, her normally hurried and anxious mind was calm and peaceful when she was in his arms. She had only experienced that with Logan in the past, and even with him it wasn't to this extent. This was somehow more intense while also more freeing than anything she'd ever experienced. She felt him begin to stir as he reached to turn off the beeping of the alarm he had set and turned to face him.

"Morning, Finn," she said with sleepy eyes.

"Morning, kitten," he replied as he kissed the top of her head. "Ready for that run?"

"Mmm...I was more ready last night, but sure," Rory replied with a giggle. "Bed is awfully tempting."

"Indeed it is, but we'd better get a move on. Coffee?"

"Not until after I run. I just like water before I go for a run," Rory replied.

"An occasion when a Gilmore girl doesn't want coffee? I'll alert the press!" Finn teased.

"It will run on the same page as the story about you being a commitment man and no longer partying," Rory teased back.

"It seems we're a newsworthy couple," Finn laughed. "Did you bring your running clothes up?"

"No, I'll head back to my room and change and meet you in the lobby?" Rory said as she stood up and stretched.

"Excellent. Fifteen minutes good?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Rory responded as she wrapped her arms around Finn and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. She gathered her phone and charger and her laptop and put them back in her bag before grabbing her second bag and walking out of Finn's suite and toward the elevator.

Finn took advantage of the moment alone and called the front desk.

"Mark? This is Finn. I need you to look up a Laura who's staying on the fifth floor and put me through to her room, please."

"Hi, Laura. This is Rory's boyfriend, Finn. I need your help with something…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory dropped her bags in her room and changed into her favorite running clothes and tennis shoes before brushing her teeth and pulling her hair into a ponytail, and she was suddenly grateful that her mother had talked her into buying cute running clothes instead of the athletic shorts and t-shirt she had been wearing. She grabbed a bottle of water and drank it quickly before grabbing her iPod, headphones and key card and leaving to meet Finn in the lobby. She emerged from the elevator to find Finn in basketball shorts and a t-shirt and ready to go. He crossed the lobby quickly to meet her and pulled her in close to his chest.

"Ready to go, kitten?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.

"I'm ready! I usually run two or three miles, but don't take me any further," Rory said with a laugh.

"Deal. I thought we'd walk to Washington Park, which is just two blocks away, and jog there," Finn replied as they both put in their headphones and exited the building. Finn took a quick left on the sidewalk and they linked hands as they quickly walked the two blocks as a warm up. When they arrived at Washington Park they parted hands and both stretched for a minute, and finally Finn set the pace as they began to jog side-by-side. Rory slowly felt her head clear even more as they completed their first mile, and as they neared the mile-and-a-half point she felt energized and completely at ease with running with Finn. They fell into the rhythm of running together easily, and she briefly marveled at how nice it felt to have someone to share this part of her life with. They turned and ran back in the direction they had come from, and Rory felt euphoric as she found that runner's high that she enjoyed so much. They both stretched a bit more as they got back to where they had begun their walk and removed their headphones before heading back toward the hotel hand-in-hand.

"Feel better now, love?" Finn asked.

"Yep, I do. Nice, clear head and lots of endorphins. I hope you didn't have to slow down too much for me."

"No, not at all, actually. I just ran at my normal pace and you kept up with no problems."

They arrived back at the hotel lobby and Finn hugged her close as they pressed the button for her floor on the elevator.

"So, I'm going to shower and head down to my office. I'll see you tonight?" Finn asked as he held her in his arms.

"Yep, I'll be ready by 6:45," Rory replied.

"Good, I'll see you then, kitten," Finn said. Just as the elevator arrived at her floor he pulled her in for one last kiss before sending her off to her door.

Rory arrived at her door and opened it to find Kate and Laura standing there waiting for her, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

"Do I even want to know why you two look so smug or how you got into my room?" Rory asked with mock annoyance.

"It would probably be best to ask your hot boyfriend about both of those, because we're following his instructions here," Laura answered. "Now, you take a quick shower and by the time you're finished breakfast should be here."

Rory just rolled her eyes at the evasive answers from her friends and grabbed fresh clothes from her suitcase before heading to the shower. She showered quickly, dried off and put her hair up in a towel before leaving the bathroom.

"Where'd breakfast come from?" Rory asked when she entered the room.

"It appears that your boyfriend is trying to win the title of Boyfriend of the Year, which I'm certain he will have managed by the end of the day. Sit and eat!" Kate commanded.

"Alright, so what's up with you two being in my room when I came back from my run?" Rory asked.

"That would be thanks to your boyfriend. We're under some very strict instructions, and not even we are privy to all the details, so don't even ask, Gilmore," Laura replied. She had filled Kate in on her phone call from Finn earlier.

"I'm not sure I like you two plotting against me with Finn," Rory chuckled.

"I wouldn't call it plotting with him. We're simply assisting," Kate said with a laugh. "He can be very persuasive."

"Do I even want to know what powers of persuasion he's using now?" Rory asked.

"You'll find out soon enough. Finish your breakfast and put your shoes on; we have to be downstairs in 15 minutes," said Laura.

"I can't be ready in 15 minutes! I haven't even dried my hair or put on my makeup!" Rory exclaimed.

"Down, girl. Throw your hair in a bun. You don't need makeup. Oh, and wear a button-down shirt! It will all make sense very soon," Kate replied.

Rory finished her breakfast and her cup of coffee, silently cursing herself for not having a travel cup available to take some with her to their mystery destination. She put her wet hair up in a bun , changed shirts, and grabbed her purse, phone and key card.

"Alright, let's go," she said ten minutes later. The three girls headed to the elevator as they quizzed Rory on her night in with Finn the previous night, and they swooned as she told them about dinner and the relaxing bath and massage. They stepped out of the elevator to find Finn waiting for them outside the door.

"Ladies," Finn greeted Kate and Laura with a nod as he put his arm around Rory's shoulders and pulled her close. "These are for you guys," he said as he handed over a drink holder with three large to-go cups of coffee.

"God, you really are perfect," Rory said as she gave him a quick kiss and then took a sip of her coffee. Finn just laughed at her and shook his head.

"And you are far too easy to make happy. Now, follow me," he said as he lead the three ladies to the hotel entrance. There was a black Town Car parked directly in front of the hotel entrance. Finn crossed to the car and opened the door. "You three are headed to The Peninsula Spa for a day of relaxation, and the driver will take you to a great little Italian restaurant on the way back for a late lunch. Everything's taken care of, so you ladies just enjoy yourselves."

"I'm quickly losing count of just how many times I've said this phrase this week, but seriously, you are amazing. You know that you don't have to do this, right? I'm not with you so you'll spoil me," Rory said.

"I know, and that's why I love doing it. Now, off you ladies go," Finn said as he helped each of the ladies into the limo. Rory was last to get in, and she pulled him in for a searing kiss when she stood in front of him.

"Thank you again, Finn," she whispered in his ear as she kissed him one more time and stepped into the waiting car.

"Did you girls know about this?" she asked as the door was shut behind her and she settled into the seat.

"Yeah, Finn called me this morning as soon as you walked out of his room to get ready for your run and asked us to help get you out the door and to go enjoy some pampering with you. We can't very well say no to that, can we?" Laura asked with a chuckle.

"I know I should be more used to this, since Logan was the same way, but I'm not," Rory confesses.

"Well, it sounds like you should get used to it, because he appears to love surprising you and taking care of you," Kate replied.

"Yeah, it really does," Rory said with a look of complete happiness on her face.

The three ladies arrived at the Peninsula Spa and were immediately taken back for hot stone massages, and after their massages they enjoyed manicures and pedicures. They laughed and relaxed together during their nail treatments, and then they were all lead to the salon to have their hair and makeup done for the evening.

"You'd better keep a tight reign on this one, Gilmore, because I may have to try to steal him myself," Laura joked as they got their hair done.

"Like that would ever work! Have you seen the way he looks at her? They may have just been friends at Yale, but it's obvious he's had a thing for her for a long time," Kate shot back.

"Care to comment, Rory?" Laura asked.

"Umm...I'll definitely hold onto him tight, but I have no idea if it's had a thing for me for very long," Rory answered with a laugh.

"You just keep telling yourself that, dear," Kate said as she rolled her eyes at Rory.

The girls left the spa feeling relaxed and pampered and very happy with their hair and makeup for the night. The car dropped them at Siena Tavern for lunch, where the three friends enjoyed pasta, coffee and tiramisu before heading back to the hotel. They finally arrived back at the hotel around 3:00, and Rory and the girls parted ways in the lobby. Laura and Kate went straight to the elevator, but Rory headed over to the office to see if Finn was in. He was on the phone but immediately motioned for her to come in and pulled her down in his lap, wrapping his arms around her as he continued his conversation. Two minutes later, he hung up with a heavy sigh.

"Rough day?" Rory asked.

"Just busy. The hand-holding I have to do sometimes is unbelievable. Enough about my day, though! How was your day, kitten?" Finn asked with a smile.

"Mmm...my day was very nice," she began as she leaned down and captured his lips with hers.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it was definitely nice. I woke up next to my incredibly sexy boyfriend, I got to go for a run with him, and then said boyfriend arranged for breakfast, a relaxing day at the spa with my friends, and lunch at a restaurant that has the best tiramisu ever," she continued as she placed kisses down his neck.

"That does sound like a nice day," Finn purred. "You know, my day is getting better as we speak."

Rory stood up from her spot on Finn's lap and shut his office door before walking back to his chair and pulling him up to stand in front of her. She sat down on his desk, pulling him close to stand between her legs, and nipped at his neck and lips. He quickly responded to her touch, wrapping his arms around her and returning her kisses with equal fervor. They continued exploring each other for several minutes before there was a knock at the door.

"I think you're needed for more hand holding," Rory said with a laugh as they broke apart.

"Unfortunately, I think you're right. I'll see you in a couple of hours, kitten," Finn groaned as he gave her another quick kiss and straightened his shirt and hair before answering the door.

Rory headed to the elevator as Finn got back to work. She got off on the fifth floor and opened the door to her room only to find a large white box and a gorgeous pair of silver heels on the bed. She opened the box to find a stunning dress. It was dark blue and was strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It was fitted to the knee and then flared and had silver accents that gave the entire dress a subtle shimmer. She dropped to her bed amazed for a minute. Apparently her boyfriend had been quite busy today. She pulled out her phone and sent him a quick text.

 _I don't even know what to say, Finn. The dress is gorgeous. Thank you so much! -R_

Not as gorgeous as the woman who will be wearing it tonight, love. I'm glad you love it! -F

 _Such a charmer! -R_

Only for you, kitten. -F

 _See you soon! Hopefully you'll have more luck working without me in your office. :-) -R_

I'd much rather have you here and get no work done, love. See you soon. -F

Rory started a pot of coffee and called her mom to catch up.

"Loin fruit!" came her mother's voice on the phone.

"Seriously, Mom, can you find a new nickname?"

"I could, but I won't. How's my favorite daughter?"

"Your only daughter is fantastic, actually," Rory replied.

"Fantastic, huh? I don't think my only daughter has been fantastic in quite some time. This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain sexy Aussie, would it?"

"It actually would."

"Okay, let Mommy get a fresh cup of coffee and go sit in her office so she can focus on you," Lorelai began. "Okay, have coffee. One...more...minute. There! I'm ready. Let's hear all about it."

"It's been the best week I've had in forever, Mom. Tuesday night he put together a Gilmore girls-style movie marathon for me, complete with all kinds of junk food, pizza, Chinese and both of our favorite movies."

"No! He didn't?"

"He did. It was so nice. We fell asleep on the couch before the last movie was over, and it felt so good to wake up next to him. And yesterday I was so stressed and exhausted, but he was fantastic. He ordered burgers while I finished my article, and after dinner in his suite he surprised me with a romantic, candlelit bath in the jacuzzi tub, with bathing suits."

"It's a good thing you threw that in there, kiddo. I was about to "dirty" you," Lorelai replied with a laugh.

"We enjoyed a bottle of wine while in the tub and he massaged my shoulders and feet and hands. It was so nice. Then we curled up in bed together and watched T.V. until we fell asleep."

"Wow, it sounds like a great week," Lorelai replied.

"That's not even the end. We got up this morning and went on a three-mile run together, and somehow he roped Kate and Laura into helping him surprise me. He had breakfast delivered for the three of us while I was in the shower, and then he sent us all to the spa for massages, manicures, pedicures and to have our hair and makeup done and had the car take us to this amazing Italian restaurant for a late lunch and tiramisu."

"Your week just keeps getting better and better, huh?"

"It really does, Mom. I came back to my room to find a gorgeous dress and pair of heels on my bed."

"Whoa. He's good," Lorelai replied.

"He really is."

"So, have you two…" Lorelai trailed off.

"No, not yet. Is it crazy that I really want to? I mean, obviously Dean and I had dated several times before we did, and Logan and I didn't wait too long, but it wasn't this quick either. I don't know, Mom. It just feels...right."

"Hey, when it feels right, it feels right. You're both adults, and it's not like you just met. You've known each other for years. If it feels right and you're sure about it then go for it, sweetie."

"Okay, you're right. I'll just go with it."

"And call your Mommy as soon as you can tomorrow to let me know how tonight goes, of course."

"Of course," Rory said with a laugh.

"Alright, I've gotta get back to work, kiddo. Have fun tonight, and do something that I would do for a change!" Lorelai said with a laugh as she hung up the phone.

Rory checked her e-mail and picked up the book she was reading, wasting time until it she needed to get dressed. Finally at 6:15 she changed into her dress, which fit like a glove, and strapped on the silver heels that Finn had left for her. She added a delicate silver necklace and silver teardrop earrings and touched up her lipstick before turning to take in the finished product in the mirror. She had to admit that she looked really nice.

Right at 6:45 there was a knock on the door. She grabbed her clutch off of the bed and walked to the door, opening it to find Finn looking gorgeous in his custom-tailored black suit with a blue tie and pocket square that matched her dress perfectly.

"I must say, Mr. Morgan, you look quite gorgeous tonight," she said with a flirtatious smile as Finn stood there and took in how stunning she looked.

"Thank you, kitten," he answered after he recovered the ability to talk. "You look absolutely ravishing."

"Well, apparently my boyfriend has exquisite taste in dresses and quite the eye for sizes," Rory replied as she blushed at his compliment.

"Shall we, love?" he asked as he offered her his arm.

She took his arm and they walked to the elevator, getting in the empty car. The moment the doors closed her pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, relishing the small moan she let out and the way she seemed to go weak in the knees at his kiss.

"Wow, if you're going to kiss me like that I may have to wear this dress every day that you're around," Rory joked as they broke the kiss.

"I'll kiss you like that no matter what you're wearing, kitten," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

The elevator doors opened, and they proceeded to the entry of the ballroom where Finn was interrupted by the hotel manager.

"Mr. Morgan, could I have five minute of your time? We have a small issue that I need to make you aware of," the manager said.

"Sure, give me just a minute and I'll meet you in my office," Finn responded before turning to Rory. "I'm so sorry, love. I'll just be a couple of minutes and then I'll be right there, okay?"

"Don't worry about it, Finn. As this fantastic guy I know told me last night, you'll never have to apologize to me for having to work, okay? I'll get us both drinks and meet you inside when you're finished."

"You are amazing. I'll see you in a few minutes," Finn said as he kissed her quickly and walked back toward the office.

Rory entered the ballroom and immediately saw Kate and Laura, who walked over to her quickly.

"Wow, your boyfriend certainly can pick out dresses, can't he?" Laura said as she spun Rory around to get a good look at her.

"Indeed he can," Rory giggled.

"So, where is he? I thought he was coming with you?" asked Kate.

"He is, he just got pulled aside by the hotel manager. He should be here in the next few minutes," Rory replied.

"Good, I wouldn't suggest hanging around without him for too long looking like that. Half of the males in the room are wiping the drool off of their chins as we speak," Laura chuckled.

"You guys are delusional. I'm going to go get drinks for us and I'll see you guys in a few minutes," Rory said as she walked toward the open bar.

She greeted several other people she knew on her way across the room and sighed as she arrived at the bar.

"What can I get for you, miss?" the bartender asked with a wink.

"Sean, is it?" she asked as she looked at the bartender's name tag and he nodded in confirmation. "I'll have a martini for myself, and a scotch on the rocks for my boyfriend," she answered, hoping to stave off any potential flirting from the winking bartender.

"Coming right up, ma'am," he replied as he began to make their drinks.

She turned to survey the room, leaning back on the bar, and sighed in relief to see Finn walking in the ballroom. He spotted her quickly and was just beginning to cross the room toward her when a man she didn't know sidled up next to her at the bar.

"Hi, I'm Daniel," he said as he offered his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Daniel. My name is Rory," she supplied as she shook his hand.

"I couldn't help but notice you standing here by yourself looking quite beautiful. Can I get you a drink?" he asked with a wink.

What was it with men winking at her tonight, she wondered? She turned and grabbed her drinks off the bar, placing a tip in the tip jar, and turned back to Daniel.

"It really is quite nice of you to offer, but I'm all set with drinks," she responded politely as she held up the two drinks in her hand.

"Well, perhaps we can get to know each other over drinks then?" he persisted.

Finn had just walked up and had obviously heard Daniel's last question. He took his drink from Rory's hand and kissed her on the cheek as he dropped his arm around her shoulders.

"So sorry, love. I'm all yours now," he said to Rory.

"No problem, dear," Rory replied with a cheeky grin. "Daniel, this is my boyfriend, Finn Morgan. Finn, this is Daniel. He was just introducing himself"

The two men shook hands, Daniel looking obviously perturbed, and Finn holding in his laughter at the look on the other man's face.

"Well, it was nice meeting you both. I'll just be getting back to my table," Daniel finished as he walked away.

"I swear, Finn, I don't normally get hit on this much," Rory said with a laugh.

"Hey, I can hardly blame you for being the most gorgeous woman in the room," Finn replied. 'Now, shall we? Dinner should be starting."

Rory and Finn quickly crossed to their table and found their seats just as dinner was served. Finn couldn't help but appreciate the way Rory held intelligent conversation with those around her, charming everyone at the table with her wit and charisma. Dinner passed quickly, and then Rory took studious notes during Senator Obama's short speech, after which the dance floor opened and the band started playing.

"May I have this dance, kitten?" Finn asked as he offered his hand.

"I would be delighted, Mr. Morgan," Rory replied as she took his offered hand and they moved to the dance floor. "I must warn you, though, I'm not the most coordinated."

"You just need to dance with the right person," Finn answered as he pulled her close and expertly lead her around the dance floor. They laughed and talked as they danced close to each other, lost in their own world as one song turned into two, which turned into three. So lost in their own world, in fact, that neither noticed the press photographers who seemed to love snapping pictures of the couple that looked very much in love to any outsider who didn't know that their relationship was so new. After dancing several more songs and enjoying another drink, Rory leaned up and whispered in Finn's ear.

"What do you say we get out of here, Finn?" she purred in his ear.

"All finished with work for the night?"

"Yep, I'm all yours for the rest of the night," she replied with a wink.

"Is that so, love?"

"It sure is. Ready to take me to your room?"

Finn's breath hitched in his throat at her insinuation.

"Mmm...kitten is a minx. Let's grab your purse and go," Finn answered as he lead her back to their table and then to the elevator to leave.

No sooner than the elevator doors closed behind them, their lips were locked in a passionate embrace as she pressed him up against the elevator wall.

"So...very...sexy" Finn whispered as he kissed down her neck.

They broke apart as the elevator opened, and they practically sprinted to Finn's suite. They walked in and Finn shut the door with his foot as he returned his attention to kissing Rory's neck and shoulders. They walked backward toward the bedroom, never breaking contact, and Rory almost collapsed as he kissed her senseless. He broke away long enough to gently pull the bobby pins from her hair, running his fingers through her long chestnut locks. She loosened his tie and slid it over his head, dropping it on the floor next to them, and quickly pushed his jacket off of his shoulders. He returned his lips to hers, marveling at the intensity of her kisses, and felt her fingers move to the buttons of his shirt. He took her hands in his and pulled away just far enough to speak.

"You know we don't have to do anything, right?" he asked as he looked in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Trust me, I really want to, Finn," she said with pleading eyes.

"If you're sure…" he trailed off.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she replied breathlessly.

He released her hands and planted hot kisses on her lips and shoulders as she resumed her mission to unbutton his shirt, throwing it in the pile of clothes at their feet after she unbuttoned the last button and began kissing down his chest. Finn groaned at the feel of her lips on his chest.

"You're killing me, kitten," he moaned as her hand grazed his thigh.

"You haven't seen anything yet," she said with a seductive smirk as she unbuckled his belt and dropped it onto the floor. He moved his hands reverently over her sides and back, appreciating her beautiful curves, and his breath hitched as she reached behind her and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor.

"God, woman, you're even more stunning than I imagined," Finn whispered as he looked at her standing there in matching black lace panties and a black lace strapless bra. He pushed her back onto the bed, hovering over her gently, as he took the time to explore every inch of her exposed skin. She slowly reached down and unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, grazing his length as she did so, and his head dropped to her chest at the sensation of her touch. He took his wallet out of his pants and placed it next to them on the bed before kicking off his shoes, socks and pants.

"Mmm...I do believe you look even better than I imaged too, Mr. Morgan" she cooed. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra and discarded it next to the bed, freeing his hands to further explore her luscious curves. She slowly took his hands in hers and moved them to her hips, urging him to rid her of the last of her clothing, and he gulped as he saw her lying beneath him completely naked. She slipped her hands under the waistband of his boxers and slid them down his body and practically purred as she felt his naked body laying against hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist and arched into him, aching for more.

"Finn, please," she begged.

"As you wish, love" he answered as he removed a condom from his wallet and rolled it on.

He paused for a moment, taking in the beauty of the woman who he had wanted for years, and he was overwhelmed by the sensations she elicited in him as he entered her and they worked together toward their climaxes.


	10. Chapter 10

Rory and Finn woke slowly Friday morning having spent the night curled up together in blissful sleep. Finn had taken the day off, since all of the campaign activities were over for the week, and Rory just needed to write her article over the previous night's events by noon.

Finn had just begun to open his eyes when he felt Rory snuggling in closer to him, their bodies pressed together. They hadn't even bothered with clothes before falling asleep last night. He tightened his arms around her and laid there half awake, half asleep, and relishing the feeling of having her next to him. They'd woke up next to each other three days in a row, and he couldn't help but think of how much he was going to miss this when she had to leave the next day.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Rory scoot out of bed and heard her pad toward the bathroom. She emerged a few minutes later wearing only Finn's dress shirt from last night, and he almost lost all self control right then.

"If you're going to run around the room looking like that I'm going to have to drag you back to bed, kitten," he teased.

"Give me five minutes to make coffee and I'll willingly come back to bed with you," she shot back with a wink as she walked toward the kitchen.

Rory returned a few minutes later with two cups of coffee and set them on the nightstand before sliding back in bed with Finn.

"So, last night was…" she began.

"Indeed it was, love," Finn smirked.

"I was thinking, though, perhaps we should see if it's still just as amazing the next morning?" she flirted.

"I thought you'd never ask," Finn said with a sly grin as he unbuttoned his shirt that she was wearing and pulled her on top of him.

They were both breathless and smiling half an hour later, her head laying on his chest and his arms around her tightly.

"I must say, still just as amazing for me this morning," Finn said, his voice still husky.

"Most definitely," Rory replied. "Now, unfortunately I really do need to go work on my article."

"How about we go down to your room and grab all of your stuff to bring up here and I go next door and grab breakfast for us while you work? You've spent every night in my room since Tuesday; I highly doubt you'll spend tonight in your own room. I can have the front desk check you out and we'll save your boss the cost of one night's stay."

"Sure, sounds great," Rory replied, looking around the room for clothes. "Crap. All I have is my dress from last night, and I really don't want to go back downstairs in that."

Finn got up and crossed the room to his suitcase and removed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

"Here you go, kitten. You can wear these," he said as he handed them to her.

She slid on the offered sweats and t-shirt and grabbed her room key as Finn threw on jeans and a t-shirt.

"I can't believe I'm leaving the room like this," Rory laughed. "Here, will you put my phone in your pocket? I don't have any pockets for it."

"I happen to think you look quite enticing in my clothes," Finn teased as he put her phone in his pocket and took her hand and they walked back to the elevator.

Fortunately, their timing seemed to be perfect, and they didn't run into anyone on the way into Rory's room. She and Finn packed up her belongings quickly and and slid on her slippers for the trip back up and they arrived back in his suite less than fifteen minutes after they'd left. Finn dropped Rory's bags in the bedroom and came back to the living room to see her already settled in with her laptop and her cup of coffee. He crossed the room to where she was sitting and kissed her softly.

"I'll go check you out and grab breakfast and will be right back, kitten."

"Thank you so much!" she called out, barely looking up from her keyboard as her fingers flew over the keys.

Finn just shook his head and chuckled at her as he walked out of the room. He stopped by the front desk and checked Rory out of her room and made sure that nothing required his attention and then walked to the cafe next door, ordering breakfast. As he stood there he heard an unfamiliar ringtone in his pocket and pulled Rory's phone out to see "Mom" on the caller ID. He looked at it for a minute and decided against answering it, but when she called back twice more in quick succession he became worried that something might be wrong.

"Rory's phone," Finn answered.

"It might be my daughter's phone, but you certainly aren't my daughter," Lorelai teased. "You must be the hot new boyfriend that my daughter's been talking about all week."

"I...uh...well, I am the new boyfriend. I hope I'm the one she's been talking about," Finn chuckled. "I'm Finn. Nice to talk to you, Lorelai."

"Nice to talk to you too, Aussie. Now, why are you answering my daughter's phone?"

"Oh, she asked me to put it in my pocket earlier because she had on pants without pockets and I forgot about it when I walked next door to grab breakfast for the two of us. When you called three times I was afraid that something might be wrong."

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted the scoop on last night, but I'm guessing I won't be able to get that out of you, will I?" Lorelai asked with a laugh.

"No, I don't suppose you will. She's working on her article right now, and then I think we're headed Lincoln Park Zoo, but I'll have her call you before we leave if that's okay?"

"That would be perfect. It was great talking with you, Finn."

"It was nice talking with you, too, Lorelai. Hey, if it's not too much to ask, can I give you my cell number? I'd hate for something to happen to Rory and for you to be unable to get in touch with me."

"Wow, ten points for the Aussie. Takes good care of my daughter and cares enough to want to be there should something happen to her. Sure, what's your number?" Lorelai asked. She wrote down the number that Finn gave her and gave him her number as well.

"Well, I'll let you get back to getting breakfast. Try to see if you can come with my dear offspring next time she gets a break and comes home. I'd really like to meet you, Finn. I haven't heard Rory this happy in a long time, and it sounds like you're great for her."

"Wow, thank you, Lorelai. I'll make sure I can come with her next time she's home. Enjoy your day," Finn replied as he hung up the phone and grabbed their breakfast from the counter.

Finn entered the room to find Rory still in the zone and quietly sat a cup of coffee and her breakfast down next to her, making himself comfortable on the couch as well.

"How's it going, kitten?"

"Good, I'm almost done. Just two more minutes," Rory replied, her brow knitted as she focused on her work. She finished a couple of minutes later and put her laptop down.

"Alright, I'm all yours now," she said as she kissed him. "Thank you so much for breakfast!"

"My pleasure, love. Hey, your Mom called while I was out getting breakfast," he said as he handed her cell phone to her. "I wasn't going to answer, but when she called three times in a row I got concerned and answered. Apparently she just wanted to know how last night went," Finn added with a smirk.

"Oh, I'm sure she did," Rory laughed. "I'll call her after we finish breakfast. Was she at least nice to you?"

"She was very nice," Finn answered.

"No, really. How was she?"

"She was nice, love, I promise. In fact, she seems to have a nickname for me already, she asked me to come home with you next time you're there, she said she thinks I'm good for you, and she gave me ten points for caring about you," he said as he smiled at her puzzled look. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"She never likes my boyfriends, and she hated Logan because he's from society. I'm just really surprised that she was nice."

"Well, I'll try to stay on her good side," Finn laughed.

They finished their breakfast and Finn took a quick shower while Rory called her mom back.

"Lorelai's house of ill repute," Lorelai answered the phone.

"Morning, Mom!" Rory replied in a sing-song voice.

"You sound awfully happy this morning, daughter. Would I be correct in guessing that last night went well?"

"You would indeed," Rory giggled.

"And are you going to tell Mommy how it was?" Lorelai asked in mock exasperation.

"Mom! I'm not going into the details of my sex life with you!"

"Ah, I'm so proud. My daughter finally has a sex life again! Come on, just tell Mommy if it was good."

"You're not going to quit asking me, are you?"

"Nope, I'm not," Lorelai answered.

"Then let's just say that I'm extremely happy and satisfied," Rory said with a laugh.

"Sounds like the boyfriend is talented in addition to being hot and exotic," Lorelai teased.

"Mom! Moving on now, okay? Finn should be out of the shower any minute now and we're going to head to the zoo after I get ready. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Geez, abandon your phone call with Mommy to spend time with lover boy. Fine, I see where your allegiance lies! This is the thanks I get for giving birth to you."

"Alright, you're cut off. I love you, Mom. Talk to you later," Rory chuckled as she hung up the phone.

Rory showered while Finn got dressed and then she quickly got ready for their day out. They walked hand-in-hand to the zoo, enjoying the cool September day together. They enjoyed a carefree day together, visiting the animal habitats, riding the carousel and train, and enjoying hotdogs from a street cart vendor. Rory couldn't remember the last day that she felt so free and so incredibly happy. Finn seemed to bring out her light, carefree side; he had her laughing one minute and on fire from his intense kisses and touch the next.

"Finn?" she asked as they collapsed onto the couch in his suite after returning from the zoo and dinner.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what, kitten?"

"For this entire week. It's the first time I've felt like my life was normal since sometime before graduation. It's been so amazing spending this week with you," she said as she scooted close to him and laid her head on his chest.

"This week has been amazing for me too, love. I'm going to be sad to see you get on that bus tomorrow."

"I'm going to hate it too, Finn," she said sadly.

"How about I run downstairs and grab us some dessert and coffee while you finish packing what you can get together, and when I come back we'll enjoy dessert and refuse to acknowledge the fact that you're leaving in twelve hours?"

"You do know the way to this girl's heart!" Rory cooed.

"Apparently I do," Finn chuckled. "Hey, while I'm gone, email me your travel schedule for the rest of the campaign, okay?"

Finn disappeared out the door after a quick kiss and Rory opened her laptop to email her schedule to Finn and look through their upcoming stops. Before she knew it, he had returned with two huge slices of chocolate layer cake and a carafe of coffee.

"I come bearing chocolate!" Finn declared as he sat down next to her and handed her a piece of cake. "Is that your schedule, love?"

"Yep, that's it," Rory replied.

"Let's see," he said as he turned the laptop toward him and began eating his cake. "It actually looks like you'll be spending a decent amount of time in the northeast."

"Yep, I will. Maybe I'll be able to manage a few day trips to visit you."

"You let me worry about travel, kitten."

"Finn, really, you've already done so much…" Rory began.

"I'm not asking you, Ror. I have a private jet and hotel rooms anywhere at my disposal. If I can't use my status to come visit my girlfriend while she's making a name for herself then what good is it? I don't work weekends, so I'll come visit you most weekends, and I'd love it if you'd stay with me when you're in New York next month."

"You're really serious?" Rory asked as she turned to look at him.

"I'm really serious," he replied with a wink. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm not really used to having a boyfriend who makes me a priority and is willing to rearrange his life for me. I mean, even with Logan, I had to fit into his life instead of the other way around. And we've seriously only been dating a week. I guess I just didn't expect you to be so committed to this and serious about us after only a week," Rory answered.

"Is that a problem?"

"No! Not at all. It's wonderful; I'm just surprised. It's a good surprised, though," she answered quickly.

"In the interest of full disclosure, I wouldn't be this serious about anyone else after only a week, but I've had a thing for you since the day we met you in the hall outside your suite when you were hanging up posters for Professor Fleming's wake," Finn confessed.

"You did? Why didn't you ever say anything, before Logan and I started seeing each other?"

"He'd made his intentions of pursuing you known before I could say anything, and we have a rule about not pursuing the same girls."

"Wow. I had no idea."

"That was kind of the point, kitten," he chuckled.

"Well, I'm certainly glad you were in Chicago this week," Rory said as she turned to crawl into Finn's lap and began kissing him.

"So...am...I...kitten," he replied in between kisses. He picked her up and carried her to the bed where they stayed up half the night making up for the time they were going to miss each other after she left the next morning.


	11. Chapter 11

"Rory," Finn whispered in her ear Saturday morning. "You have to get ready to leave, love."

"But I don't want to," Rory mumbled as she burrowed further into Finn's chest.

"I know, kitten. I don't want you to either, but we don't have a choice."

"Fine," Rory pouted. "I'll get up, but only if you join me in the shower."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Finn chuckled as he pulled her out of bed and toward the bathroom.

They emerged from the bathroom 45 minutes later, both smiling despite the lingering sense of dread over Rory leaving in an hour. She crossed the bedroom to her suitcase, digging through her t-shirts, when Finn threw her a shirt and a hoodie.

"Why are you throwing your clothes at me, dear?" she asked with a laugh.

"Because those are for you to take with you. You can wear them when you miss me."

"Aw, you're so sweet! Well, in that case, I'm wearing them today," Rory replied as she pulled on her jeans and Finn's soft grey t-shirt.

She quickly dried her hair and threw it in a ponytail and then packed the rest of her bags, checking the room to make sure she hadn't left anything.

"I guess that's it," she said sadly.

"We've still got half an hour until you have to be at the bus. Let's drop your luggage in my office and go next door to get you some coffee and breakfast and enjoy that last thirty minutes together," Finn said as he grabbed her suitcase and messenger bag.

"You're right, I don't want to waste it by pouting. Let's go," she replied as she took his hand and grabbed her purse.

They stashed her luggage and walked to the cafe next door, ordering coffee and a quick breakfast. As they sat down at their table to eat Rory broke the silence.

"So, when are you headed back to New York?"

"Actually, I'll grab my bags after I see you off and head straight to the airport to leave. I had originally planned to go home yesterday morning, but I got a better offer," Finn said with a wink.

"I'm so glad that I'm a better offer than New York!" Rory said with a giggle.

"Where are you sending resumes for after the campaign, love?"

"I have a standing job offer in DC. I'm focusing mostly in the Connecticut and New York areas. I don't want to be too far from Stars Hollow; I feel like I've hardly been home at all the last couple of years. I'd like to be within easy driving distance."

"You know, New York does have its perks," Finn mused.

"Is that so, Mr. Morgan?"

"Indeed, it is. I hear there's a man there who would love to spend more time with you."

"Hmm... I might just love to spend more time with him, too," Rory teased.

Finn sighed and looked at his watch.

"It's time, kitten."

"Alright, I guess I might as well quit dragging my feet and get it over with," she replied as she picked up her to-go coffee and took his hand to walk back to the hotel. They retrieved her bags from the office and walked to the loading area in silence. Finn stowed her suitcase beneath the bus and then pulled her close to him, wrapping her in his arms.

"I know I sound crazy since it's been less than a week, but I'm going to miss you, Ror."

"I'm going to miss you too, Finn, so if you sound crazy so do I," Rory replied with a soft laugh.

"We'll talk and text or e-mail every day, love, and I'll see you next Friday night in Columbus, okay?"

"I can't wait," Rory replied. "I guess this is it - I have to go."

"One minute," Finn answered as he leaned down and kissed her. The kiss started off tenderly, but it quickly increased in passion and left them both breathless. Finn slowly moved his arms from around her and took her hand to walk her to the bus. He gave her one last hug and kiss and placed her messenger bag on her shoulder before she boarded.

Finn stood against the hotel and watched until the bus pulled out and then turned to walk back to his room and pack the last few things that weren't already in his suitcase. He grabbed his luggage and met the waiting Town Car at the hotel entrance for the ride to the airstrip, anxious to return home now that Rory was no longer next to him.

He sighed and thought back to the last six days of being able to spend time with Rory and couldn't help but smile. They had spent every non-working minute of the week together, and he was blissfully happy when she was with him. He had convinced himself that he would never get a chance to date her when Logan had declared his intentions, and spending the next three years watching the two of them together and seeing how Logan had treated her had been damn near torture. Rory and Logan's relationship had been one characterized by times of extreme happiness and commitment followed by times of extreme stress and wondering by Logan, and he hated every minute of watching it. Finn felt his phone buzz in his pocket and took it out.

 _Some amazing someone snuck a new travel mug and tons of candy in my messenger bag. You wouldn't know who that was, would you? -R_

Hmm...must have been that boyfriend you were talking about all week. He must know how much you love coffee and candy. -F

 _He's pretty amazing alright. By the way, I was greeted with wolf whistles when I got on the bus. Apparently they were watching our goodbye kiss. LOL -R_

I'd apologize, but I'm not sorry. I know you've never been much of one for PDA, though. -F

 _Perhaps PDAs are like dancing; you just need to find the right person. :-) -R_

Indeed you do, love. I'm at the plane. I'll text you when I land, and you can call me tonight when you get to your hotel. -F

 _Have a safe flight, sweetheart. -R_

Finn smiled as he put his phone back in his pocket and boarded the plane back to New York.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory laughed at the million questions that her friends from the campaign trail were bombarding her with on the bus. She seemed to have the attention of more than half of the other women, all of whom were swooning over how gorgeous her boyfriend was and the details of her week. She was interrupted from her conversation as her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Rory. It's your Grandma," came Emily's voice.

"Oh hi, Grandma! How are you and Grandpa? It seems like it's been forever since I've seen you."

"Your Grandfather and I are fine."

"Good, I'm glad," Rory replied awkwardly. It wasn't like her Grandma to call for no reason.

"I saw the picture on Page Six," came Emily's terse reply.

"The picture on Page Six? I'm not sure I'm following you, Grandma."

"You would think that you would inform me that you're seeing someone instead of letting me find out from the New York Post. Honestly, Rory, it's the least you could do."

"I really have no idea what picture you're talking about, Grandma," Rory replied with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, perhaps you should buy a copy of the paper then. There are expectations, Rory, and if you're seeing Mr. Morgan your Grandfather and I need to extend a dinner invitation to his family. We simply cannot fail to meet societal expectations just because you didn't want to tell us about your new relationship. Are you serious with Mr. Morgan?"

Rory rolled her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Grandma, this relationship is new, very new. Less than a week, in fact. Please, if you care about my happiness at all, just stay out of it, okay? I don't think Finn's parents have any expectations of a dinner invitation from you, but I will ask him just to make sure if that makes you feel better. They may have money and be from society, but they are hardly a typical society family according to Finn. Look, if I promise to bring him for dinner the next time I'm home will you just let it be?"

"Honestly, Rory, you act like it's a crime for me to care about my own granddaughter," came Emily's terse reply.

"It's not that at all, Grandma. It's just...when Logan and I started dating there was a lot of pressure to instantly make it more serious than it was and there was a lot of outside interference in our relationship. I don't want that with Finn, okay? I just want us to be able to enjoy our time together and the newness of it all without all of that extra stress."

"Well, I suppose I can understand your viewpoint, although I certainly don't share it. Still, I will agree to stay out of it for your sake if you're certain that the Morgans won't be offended."

"I promise they won't, Grandma."

"Very well. Let me know when you'll be in town next so we can have you both over for dinner."

"I'll do that. Give Grandpa my love," Rory replied as she hung up with a sigh.

Grateful for wifi on the campaign bus, Rory pulled her laptop out of her messenger bag and quickly navigated to the Post's website before clicking on Page Six. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of the picture. Right there in front of her was a picture of herself and Finn dancing, and they certainly looked quite cozy. Unbelievable! She hadn't even realized that they had been photographed at the event. She looked toward the photo caption. "Is the Morgan heir off the market? He was seen dancing the night away with Miss Lorelai Gilmore-Hayden III of the Hartford Gilmores and Haydens at a recent campaign gala." This was exactly what she had hoped to avoid, but it looked like their relationship had been made public sooner than she had anticipated.

She looked at the time on her phone and quickly realized that Finn should be landing shortly. She decided to wait to call him rather than leaving a voicemail while he was still in the air. She sighed and made a quick decision, dialing her mom.

"Mom?" she asked when Lorelai answered the phone.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Finn and I made Page Six."

"No?!"

"I'm afraid so," Rory replied.

"So this means…"

"Yep, I just got off the phone with Adolph. She was ranting about societal expectations and dinner with his family and lecturing me."

"I'm so sorry, sweetie. Do you need me to call her?"

"No, I think I got her to back off. I promised I would bring him for dinner the next time I'm in town in exchange for her backing down."

"And you think that's going to work?"

"I hope so. I just don't want pressure, Mom. This week was good, and I don't want to stress over it or to have Grandma trying to pick out china patterns. She practically had my wedding to Logan planned before our first official date was over."

"I know, kiddo. I'll call her tomorrow and make sure she's holding up her end of the bargain."

"Thank you, Mom. You're the best mom a girl could ask for!" Rory said with a relieved sigh.

"I've been there, hon, and I know how she can be. I'm going to get back to work right after I check out Page Six to see my gorgeous daughter with her new arm candy," Lorelai said with a laugh.

"You're impossible!" Rory teased. "I'll talk to you later, Mom. I love you."

"Love you too, sweets," Lorelai said before Rory hung up.

Rory looked up to see Laura and Kate looking over her shoulder.

"It appears you and the new boyfriend made quite a splash," Kate said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Rory replied awkwardly.

"I didn't realize he was well enough known to be that newsworthy," Laura asked with a questioning look.

"Well, he is the heir to a multi-billion dollar corporation, and it doesn't help things any that I'm the one he was seen with," Rory said sheepishly.

"What are you not telling us, Gilmore?" asked Laura.

"Look, this doesn't change anything about me, okay? I'm still the same person you've known for the last year and a half." Both girls just stared at her. "Both my Mom's and my Dad's families are both well-known in Hartford. My parents both were raised as part of Hartford society, and my Mom left with me when I was a baby, but it's still part of who I am."

"What exactly are you getting at?" Kate asked.

"I'm not well-known or anything, but I'm certainly of interest in the society pages, given that I'm from two very prominent Hartford families and will have access to my trust funds next month."

"Wow," both Kate and Laura said at the same time.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Kate.

"It's just...that's not who I am, and I don't want to be thought of as some society princess. When people find out you're part of Hartford society they tend to think you're some vapid bimbo who can't even spell 'society", and I don't want people thinking that about me."

"I guess I get that," Laura replied.

"Please don't let anyone else know, okay? I mean, it's inevitable that at least some of them will see the picture, but I'd prefer to give them as little information as possible."

"Sure, it's our secret," said Kate.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finn touched down in New York and turned on his cell phone only to find a long list of missed calls and texts, most of which were from his best mates, and he suddenly realized that he hadn't spoken to either of them since early in the week. He had told Logan that he would let him know if Rory agreed to a date, but he hadn't actually called him since that conversation. Just as Finn was about to check his voicemail his phone rang.

"Hi, kitten. I didn't expect to hear from you yet," Finn said with a smile.

"Is this a bad time?" Rory asked.

"Not at all, I literally just landed in New York. Everything okay on the bus?"

"Yeah, it's good. It's just...my Grandma called. Apparently we made Page Six, Finn. It's a picture of us from the fundraiser gala."

"I can't say I'm completely surprised, but I didn't expect it so soon," Finn replied. "Are you doing okay with it, love?"

"Am I doing okay with it?" Rory asked with a giggle. "God, here I was calling to try to make sure you're not upset and you just want to know if I'm okay. You are too sweet, Finn. Yeah, I'm okay. I didn't relish the conversation with my Grandma, but I think I was successful in getting her to hold off on dinner with your parents, prenups or china patterns," Rory joked.

"It seems some things never change," Finn chuckled. "I'm glad you're doing okay with it."

"I am. Hey, I promised her that I would bring you for dinner next time I'm in town in order to buy her cooperation. I hope that's okay?"

"Of course, love. I guess this probably explains all of the missed calls and voicemails I have from Colin and Logan as well. I haven't even listened to them yet."

"I'm sorry, Finn."

"Hey, you have no reason to apologize, Ror. You hear me? This is part of my life, and unfortunately you getting access to your trust funds and being a Gilmore and a Hayden means that it will become a part of yours as well. I'm sorry that dating me is making it happen more quickly for you."

"You don't need to apologize either, Finn. I mean it. I had just hoped we could enjoy a bit longer without all of the pressure that comes from society."

"Well, avoid your Grandma and we should be good, because my parents aren't like that at all. They love to fly in the face of societal expectations," Finn laughed.

"That's what I told my Grandma when she was freaking out about not insulting your parents because her dinner invitation was delayed," Rory said with a giggle.

"It will all be just fine, love. We'll live in our little bubble when possible and we'll deal with society and the press when we have to."

"You're the best, Finn. I'll talk to you later tonight?"

"It's a date," Finn replied with a wide smile.

He hung up his phone and got in the waiting car to go home before reading his text messages. It appeared that his mates had also seen the picture on Page Six and were curious to know what was going on. He sent a quick text telling them to come by in two hours and sat back with a sigh as he wondered how the conversations would go, and he didn't have to wait very long to find out. No sooner had he arrived home, showered and dressed, his doorbell rang.

"Logan, Colin! Good to see you, mates," he said as he opened the door to his best friends.

"It's about damn time you got back from Chicago, man," Colin smirked as he patted Finn on the back and walked to the living room.

"Finn, good to see you," Logan said awkwardly as he handed Finn a newspaper and passed him. Finn took a quick glance at the newspaper, which was folded open to the picture of him and Rory at the gala.

"It's good to be home," Finn replied as he joined the two in the living room and poured three glasses of scotch and passed them around the room. "What did I miss here at home while I was gone?"

"Apparently not as much as we missed there in Chicago," Logan said as he nodded toward the newspaper he had handed Finn. Finn didn't miss the curt tone of voice Logan used or the pointed look that he sent his way.

"Sorry about that, mates. This week was kind of a whirlwind, between work and spending time with Rory," Finn said sheepishly.

"Apparently so if you forgot to even call your best friends," Colin teased lightly.

"Right. So obviously, Rory and I are seeing each other now," Finn stated awkwardly as he sat the newspaper down on the coffee table between them all.

"Right," Logan shot back. "That was made pretty damn clear with the picture."

"Look, I had no idea that they had taken that picture, and I was going to talk to you when I got back home. Hell, I talked to you before anything happened. Rory and I tried to spend all of our free time together during the week, and I thought it best to have this conversation with you in person."

"Are you and Rory just seeing each other, or is it more serious?" Logan asked as Colin watched the two of his friends' tense conversation.

"I am in fact off the market, mates."

Logan sighed and rubbed his face.

"That sure as hell didn't take long, man."

"What's that supposed to mean, Logan?"

"I'm just saying that it didn't take long for you to hook up with my ex," Logan said icily.

"Look, I know that this is bound to be awkward for a bit, but you guys have been broken up for almost a year and a half. You've moved on. Don't you think she deserves to move on as well?"

"She does. It's just...why her, Finn?"

"I've had a soft spot for her for years, Logan, and I stood by and watched the entire time she was with you. I wasn't looking for her when we ran into each other, but I'm certainly not going to waste the chance."

"She was the one, Finn, and she broke my heart when she turned me down."

"I know, mate, and I hate that. You were the one to walk away though, weren't you? Don't you think that broke her heart as well?"

"How the hell did you know…" Logan trailed off.

"So it's true? She said not right now and you told her that it had to be now or never and walked away?"

Logan slammed his glass down on the coffee table and sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"Yeah, it's true," he said quietly, and Colin's head shot up.

"You let us think she broke it off, man. Why did you do that?" Colin asked.

"Because I was stupid, alright?" Logan yelled back. "I was stupid, and I let the best thing I'd ever had walk away," he said more quietly.

"Logan, mate, you're with Stacey now. You've been talking about proposing. Mine and Rory's relationship doesn't change anything for you," Finn said gently.

"I know, man. I'm just going to need some time to deal with this, alright?"

"Absolutely, mate. I'll do my best to keep you out of the loop when it comes to our relationship."

"Thanks, Finn. I'll work on being okay with things," Logan said as he and Colin walked to the door to leave.

Finn sighed as he shut the door behind his two best mates. He suspected Logan wasn't as okay with the situation as he'd said on the phone, but he didn't realize just how much it was going to bother his friend. He changed into shorts, a t-shirt and running shoes in hopes of clearing his head with a long run and shot off a quick text to Rory before walking out the door.

 _Well, Logan and Colin know now. They saw the picture as well. It was a bit tense, but he'll come around. -F_

Within seconds he had a reply.

We'll get through this together, Finn. You're worth it. -R

He shook his head and marveled as his luck to have this amazing woman in his life as he walked out his door and set off for his run.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Logan slammed his study door and sat down heavily in his chair when he arrived home. He took out his bottle of scotch and poured himself a double as he thought about what his life had become. He'd had it all with Rory. She had kept him in check, brought out the best in him, always believed in him. And then he had gone and screwed it up epically. He had pushed her out of his mind and focused solely on work and moving on, and that was easier when she was in an unknown location and completely out of his life, but now that she was tangentially back in his life through her relationship with one of his best friends it was remarkably harder.

He sighed as he opened his desk drawer and pulled out the pictures he had stashed in there so long ago and hadn't taken out in over a year. His London going away party. The jump off of the scaffolding at the LDB event. Events at the Gilmores' home. Christmas in London. Seeing her with him in all of those memories brought back the pain of losing her. He'd tried to mask the pain for a while with obscene amounts of booze and women, but both had made him even more painfully aware of her absence. Finally he had thrown himself headfirst into his work after returning to HPG just a few short months later. He had made work priority one and scarcely had a social life outside of work for months until his mother set him up with Stacey, and finally tired of fighting he had agreed to the date.

Stacey was a nice girl, but she lacked in the qualities that really mattered to Logan. He reached in another drawer and set out the engagement ring he had purchased for Stacey just yesterday, and he was suddenly struck by what his life had become. Somewhere along the way, he had begun to turn into his father. Here he was working insane hours, practically married to his job, and considering marrying a woman who would no doubt end up just like his mother. His life was on a precipice, and he realized with startling clarity that he had some major decisions to make regarding who he wanted to become in the future.

He clicked over to his work files to see where the Obama campaign reporters were now and knew what he had to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sighed as she kicked off her shoes and dropped heavily onto the bed in her hotel room in Detroit. They had just checked in, and she was exhausted. She opened her messenger bag and dialed her boyfriend.

"Kitten!" came Finn's excited voice.

"Hey, Finn! How was your afternoon?" Rory asked as she relaxed at the sound of his voice.

"It was fine. I went for a long run and I'm just relaxing at home now. You sound tired."

"I really am. There's something about being on that bus that is exhausting, not to mention dealing with Emily today," Rory chuckled.

"I can only imagine, love," Finn said with a laugh. "All checked in, I assume?"

"Yep, I just got in my room. I must say, it's missing a certain Aussie," Rory mused.

"And my apartment is missing a certain blue-eyed brunette," Finn said softly. "But we will get to spend this weekend together, so it's not all bad, right?"

"No, I'm definitely looking forward to this weekend."

"You seriously sound like you're about to fall asleep, darling. I'll let you get to bed."

"You're right, I am. I just wanted to talk to you," came Rory's sleepy reply.

"Call me when you get up in the morning and we'll talk then as well. And really, you can call me anytime. If I'm in a meeting I'll have my phone on silent, but otherwise I'm completely accessible to you, love."

"You're the best, Finn. Sleep well."

"You too, love. And hey, hop on Facebook when you get a chance," Finn replied. "Talk with you in the morning."

Rory hung up and grabbed her laptop out of her bag, booting it up and getting online. She opened Facebook in her browser and clicked on her notifications, and she smiled as she saw what was waiting on her. She quickly clicked to accept Finn's friend request and confirm their relationship and couldn't help but feel happy at the declaration that she was in a relationship with Finn Morgan. She clicked on his profile and lit up at the pictures that he had apparently just uploaded from their trip to the zoo. He had cropped a picture of the two of them smiling widely to toward the camera as he gave her a piggyback ride at the zoo and set it as his profile picture. She quickly swiped the photo for her own profile picture and looked through the rest of the photos from their day. She had to admit that she looked incredibly happy in all of them, happier than she had felt in a long time. She shared the pictures to her own profile and closed her laptop, cuddling up with a teddy bear that she could swore she'd seen in the hotel gift shop that Finn had apparently snuck into her suitcase at some point and drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face.

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Finn was on his laptop half an hour after hanging up with Rory and closed his work email after reviewing the latest staffing and budget reports. He opened Facebook in his browser and smiled broadly to himself at what greeted him. Not only had Rory confirmed their relationship online, she had also used one of the pictures from their trip to the zoo as her profile picture.

He happily closed his laptop and trudged off to the bedroom, stripping down to his boxers and falling into bed. He and Rory hadn't slept much the previous night and he was exhausted. He tossed and turned for the longest time, seemingly unable to get comfortable in his own bed. As he laid there unable to sleep, it suddenly occurred to him why sleep was evading him. Was it possible that after just under a week of sleeping next to Rory he had already grown so accustomed to having her there that he had trouble sleeping without her? This was certainly new territory. He finally drifted off to a restless sleep in the wee hours of the morning, acutely aware that his arms were empty for the first time in four nights.

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Rory awoke the next morning almost more tired than she had been before she went to bed. She had drifted to sleep easily, but she had subsequently tossed and turned and slept fitfully for most of the rest of the night. She just couldn't get comfortable, and she suddenly realized that she very much missed having Finn next to her. She picked up her phone and dialed the number that was quickly becoming familiar.

"Happy Sunday, kitten. Did you sleep well?" came Finn's soothing voice.

"Not as well as I needed to. Apparently I've already grown quite accustomed to sleeping next to my boyfriend, who sadly was not there," Rory said in a flirty tone.

"Thank God I'm not the only one, love," Finn chuckled. "I had the hardest time sleeping. Crazy to think that a week ago we hadn't seen each other in well over a year and now it's hard to sleep apart."

"It is crazy, but it's good, right?" Rory asked.

"It's very good, Ror. It's just a few days and I'll be there in Des Moines with you. We can sleep all weekend if you'd like."

"Mmm...as tempting as that is, I think I have other plans for you, Mr. Morgan," Rory said seductively.

"I do like the sound of that, Miss Gilmore. Care to enlighten me as to what these plans may entail?"

"Lots of time in bed, but very little sleep, Finn," Rory teased.

"I'll look forward to it, kitten. I'll talk with you later today, okay?"

"Sounds great, Finn. Enjoy your day," Rory replied as she ended the call.

Rory made coffee and showered, dressing in jeans and a casual shirt for a lazy Sunday. She checked her e-mail and laughed as she saw the notifications of Colin and Steph's comments on the pictures of she and Finn. It appeared that they were truly happy for their friend. Rory clicked over to her friend requests and stopped dead in her tracks. It appeared that the declaration of her relationship with Finn on Facebook had brought her out of the woodwork to their old Yale friends. She had friend requests from Steph and Colin, which she happily accepted, but she also had one from Logan. She hovered over the request for several minutes, trying to decide what to make out of it. Finally she closed her laptop, pulled on her tennis shoes, grabbed her phone and walked toward her door. She sent one quick text before she walked out the door.

 _Logan sent me a friend request on Facebook. This is weird, right? -R_

In an instant she had her answer.

 _It's very weird, love. Don't let it worry you too much. Enjoy your day. I'll see if I can figure out what's going through his head right now. -F_

Rory decided to carry on with her day as planned and walked to Kate and Laura's rooms to let them know that she was ready for their day on Des Moines. The three shared a love of books and coffee and, and they had plans to go to a couple of bookstores in the area. The friends headed out, grabbing coffee on the way, and walked the short distance to the first bookstore on their list.

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Finn quickly dialed Logan as quickly as he hit send on on his text to Rory only to get his voicemail. He left him a message asking him to call back and battled with himself for a minute, finally deciding to go over to Logan's and see what was going on. He had a very uneasy feeling about Logan seeking Rory out after the conversation they had the previous day.

Finn grabbed his keys and phone and hailed a taxi to Logan's apartment. He knocked and waited for several minutes and finally used his key to let himself in.

"Logan? Are you home, mate?" Finn yelled as he walked in the door.

There was no answer. Finn walked from room to room looking for Logan, finally ending in the study. When he finally walked in the study he found an almost empty glass next to an empty bottle of scotch, an engagement ring, and pictures of Logan and Rory fanned out on his desk. There sitting on a piece of paper in Logan's neat scrawl was "US Airways flight 2519 Des Moines".

"Shit!" Finn cursed to no one in particular.

Finn quickly dialed his other best mate.

"Colin? We have a problem. Meet me at the airstrip in an hour. Pack for a couple of days. Logan has flown to Des Moines."

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Rory, Kate and Laura were laughing as they got off the elevator on their floor at the hotel. They had spent the last few hours working their way through several bookstores. Rory stopped in her tracks as she approached to the door.

"Logan? What are you doing here?

Logan just stood there and looked at her wordlessly for a minute.

"Wait, is this THE Logan?" asked Kate.

"Yeah, one and the same," Rory replied. "And again I'll ask, Logan, what are you doing here?"

"Can we talk in private?" Logan asked her.

"Umm...I guess," Rory told Logan. "Kate, Laura, I'll catch up with you a little later, okay? This shouldn't take long."

Rory unlocked her door as the two girls walked down the hall and held the door open for Logan.

"You can come in, I guess. I don't know where else we could speak privately."

"Thank you, Ace."

Rory was surprised to find that the use of his old nickname for her didn't have the same effect that it had when they were dating.

"Sure. Now, care to fill me in on why you're standing in front of my hotel room door when I haven't seen you in almost a year and a half?" Rory asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I just...I needed to see you," Logan said sheepishly.

"You suddenly needed to see me the day after you find out I'm seeing Finn?" Rory questioned.

"Yeah. I...are you happy, Rory?"

"Am I happy? What the hell kind of question is that? You fly to Des Moines after all this time to ask me if I'm happy, Logan?"

"Yes. Because you know what? I'm not happy. I haven't been happy since the day things ended between the two of us."

"You are seriously unbelievable, Logan! Sixteen damn months without a word from you and you're standing in front of me wanting to have this conversation now. What the hell happened?"

"I thought I had moved on, Rory, but I haven't. Hearing that you're dating Finn now and thinking about proposing to Stacey...I just couldn't. I have to know. We were good together, Rory."

"Logan, I've moved on. I'm in a relationship now, and yes, it's with your best friend. And you're about to propose to your girlfriend. What exactly were you hoping to accomplish here?"

Rory was practically yelling now, and neither realized that the lock on the door had disengaged and it had been cracked open.

"I want us again, Rory. I don't want to become my dad, and I don't want to marry someone because my parents think she makes a good match. I want more than that. We can have that together, Ace. I love you," Logan pleaded as he walked toward Rory.

Rory stepped backwards until she found the wall with her back as she answered.

"No, Logan! We can't have that together! I've moved on and put my life together. Yes, I loved you then, but I don't anymore. Even if I wasn't dating Finn we couldn't try again, but I am dating Finn, and I'm happy, Logan, really happy. God, he's going to be furious when he finds out about this stunt you've pulled!"

"He doesn't have to know," Logan started.

"Like hell he doesn't have to know, Logan! I'm not your girlfriend; I'm done covering for you," Rory yelled back.

Having heard enough, Finn opened the door the rest of the day and walked in the room followed by Colin. Logan's back was to his two friends and he was unaware of their entrance into the room, but Rory saw them instantly. She pushed past Logan and flew into Finn's arms, tears springing to her eyes, and Logan turning to watch her as she moved across the room.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Logan asked incredulously.

"What the hell are we doing here?" Finn asked angrily. "Considering this is my girlfriend's hotel room and she left word downstairs that I could have a room key when I arrived I don't really think I have much to explain, but I'll fill in the blanks for you, mate. After our conversation yesterday and finding out that you sought Rory out on Facebook I left you a voicemail and then went to your place to check on you. Obviously I didn't find you, but I did find the empty bottle of scotch, the pictures of you and Rory, an engagement ring, and flight information. It didn't take a genius to figure out you were coming to see her."

Finn turned his attention to Rory.

"Are you okay, kitten?" he asked as he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Pissed off, but fine," Rory responded quietly. "Sorry, I cry when I'm angry or overwhelmed."

"You have nothing to apologize for, love," Finn said tenderly as he rubbed small circles on her back.

Finn then turned his attention to Logan.

"Mate, I think you should take a walk with Colin. I'll deal with you later; right now I'm going to spend some time with my girlfriend and make sure she really is alright," Finn said tersely.

Logan started to speak, but seeing the looks on the faces of his two best friends he decided against it and followed Colin out of the room wordlessly.

"I had no idea he was coming, Finn. I don't want to be with him," came Rory's meek voice after the door shut.

"I know, love," Finn said as he gathered Rory in his arms and sat down on the bed with her in his lap. "I heard enough to know that you told him in no uncertain terms that you guys were over. Did you get my text?"

"What text?"

"I texted you before we took off to let you know that I suspected he might be headed this way."

"Shit. No, my phone was in my purse and I didn't hear it. I'm sorry."

"Hey, look at me," Finn commanded as he tipped Rory's chin up so they were eye-to-eye. "You have nothing to apologize for, okay? You and I are good. I'm not even the littlest bit upset with you. I'm just glad that I could get here quickly and that you're okay."

"Thank you, baby," Rory said as she laid her head back down on his chest. "We are okay, Finn. This doesn't change anything for me. He's long in the past, and seeing him today just confirms that. As crazy as this sounds, this whole situation just makes me realize even more just how happy I am to be with you," Rory whispered.

"I'm glad to hear it, Ror. He's not going to change anything for us," Finn replied as they curled into each other, both finding their safe harbor in the storm in the other.


	13. Chapter 13

Finn held Rory as she quickly drifted off to sleep in his arms, exhausted from the lack of sleep and the emotional toll of Logan's stunt. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped out a quick text to Colin to see how things were going with Logan. He still wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say to his mate about the situation. He was angry that Logan had acted like that, and he was also extremely hurt and betrayed. He sighed as he pulled Rory in closer to him, feeling more calm with each passing moment that he held her in his arms.

His phone buzzed with a text, and he picked it up to see Colin's response telling him that he had gotten a room at the hotel and Logan had almost instantly passed out, apparently drunk. That explained at least some of the behavior, although it still didn't make Finn any less angry or hurt. Satisfied that Logan was in good hands and was in no shape to have a serious conversation at the moment, Finn drifted off to sleep next to Rory.

Rory awoke two hours later and looked up to see Finn sleeping peacefully. She gently traced the lines of his face, marveling at just how gorgeous he was. She reached up and laid featherlight kisses up his neck to his lips, and he smiled as he began to wake up. He rolled toward Rory and returned her kisses.

"Nice nap, kitten?"

"Mmm...it really was. I hate that it happened because of Logan, but it's nice to see you again so soon."

"That it is, love. Colin got a room here and Logan's sleeping off the alcohol. I'll have to go deal with him when he wakes up."

"I know, baby. What are you going to do?"

"I really don't know, Ror. I guess I need to try to figure out what the hell's going on in his head and I'll go from there."

"I'm really sorry you have to deal with this, Finn. I hate that I'm causing grief between you two," Rory said quietly.

"You're not causing anything, so don't think that for a minute. Everything you said to him was right. He alone is responsible for what's going on between us. I need to make sure you know that."

"I do. It's just...I hate it for you."

"I know you do, love," Finn answered.

Just then his phone beeped an incoming text from Colin.

"It looks like Logan's awake. I'm going to go talk to him. Do you want me to send Colin up to sit with you while I do?"

"I can have Kate and Laura come over. They were with me when I found Logan at my door, so I'm sure they'd like to know what's going on. And I'm sure it would be good to have Colin there with you as a buffer."

"You're probably right there. Go ahead and call the girls; I'll go deal with him as soon as they get here."

Rory picked up the phone and sent a quick text to Kate and Laura asking them to come over, and there was a knock at the door just a couple of minutes later.

"Ladies," Finn greeted the pair as he opened the door.

"Finn! We didn't expect to see you here," Kate replied in surprise.

"I didn't expect to be here so soon either, but I needed to make sure kitten was okay," Finn replied. "Thank you both for coming to hang out with her while I go deal with Logan."

"We're happy to be here," Laura replied.

Finn kissed Rory and walked out the door, dreading the conversation that was rapidly approaching.

"Care to tell us what's going on?" Kate asked.

Rory filled her two friends in on the emotional turn that her afternoon had taken, and they were both furious for her as well. Both girls had already grown fond of Finn and couldn't believe that Rory's ex would have such audacity. After thoroughly dissecting the situation the girls turned their attention to happier subjects, determined to have a better afternoon.

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Finn felt an increasing sense of dread with every step he took toward the room Logan and Colin were in. Colin met him at the door looking quite annoyed.

"He's a mess. He's mostly sober, but he's not in a good place, man. How's Rory holding up?"

"She's okay. We talked and we're good; she was just angry and flustered. We both got some sleep and I left her with two of her friends from the campaign trail," Finn replied.

"And how are you?"

"I'm not sure, mate. I feel angry and betrayed."

"Are you going to be okay to have this conversation?" Colin asked.

"I have to be, right?"

Both men walked further into the room and they found Logan lying awake on one of the beds.

"Hey," Logan greeted Finn.

"Logan," Finn replied sternly. "Do you care to tell me what the hell that was all about? Because I've gotta say, I'm really unhappy with you right now."

"Look, Finn, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have come here to see Rory; I never should have said anything."

"No, you shouldn't have, but you did. What were you thinking, mate?" Finn asked exasperatedly.

"I was just...I thought I was over her, but I realized that I wasn't. I was drinking and looking at those pictures you saw and thought about proposing to Stacey and how much I've turned into my father, and I just snapped, I guess. I realized that I've turned into a man I never wanted to be. I'm a workaholic who was about to propose to a woman who will turn into my mother just make my family happy. Rory was the one who made me think I could be more than that when we were together, and I guess I stupidly thought I needed her back in order to straighten out my life"

"I see," Finn replied tersely.

"I truly am sorry for the way I handled it, Finn. My failings should never have interfered with your relationship with Rory. As she made abundantly clear, I had my chance with her and it's been over for a long time. I know that now. God, I made such an ass out of myself."

"You really did, Logan," Finn replied.

"Is she...is Rory okay?"

"She's fine. She was shook up and upset, but she's okay now. I left her with two of her friends."

"And are you guys going to be okay?" Logan asked.

"Why are you asking?" Finn replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Now that I'm sober and realize what a spectacular jerk I was, I just want to make sure that you two are alright. She looked really happy, other than having to deal with her asshole ex."

"Rory and I are good, mate. What happened today hasn't changed anything for us."

"Good. I really am glad, Finn. I'll work through my own life crisis here and make sure it doesn't affect you guys anymore. I'd like to apologize to her, if that's okay."

"I'll send her a text and let her know, but that's completely up to her. If she chooses to talk with you, Colin and I will be right there as well. I'm not going to ask her to talk to you alone, and while I won't flaunt our relationship in your face I'm not going to keep my distance from her for your sake," Finn said.

"I understand, man, and that's completely fine," Logan replied as Finn took out his phone and texted Rory.

"You two are welcome to take the jet back home tonight if you'd like. I was already planning to fly out Friday to spend the weekend with Rory; since I'm here now I'm just going to work remotely and stay through next Sunday."

"Are you sure, man?" asked Colin. "We can book a flight."

"Don't be ridiculous. The plane will be needed back in New York this week anyway, so you guys might as well be on it when it returns," Finn replied as his phone beeped. He took a quick look at it and typed a reply. "She's agreed to see you, mate. Let's go," Finn instructed his mates as he headed toward the door.

They emerged ar Rory's door a couple of minutes later, and Finn used the key card he'd procured from the front desk upon his arrival to let them in. The boys found the three girls piled on the bed laughing when they walked in. Rory looked up slowly as she saw them walk in.

"Hey, guys," Rory said cooly. "Kate and Laura, this is Colin and Logan. They're friends from college. Colin and Logan, this is Kate and Laura. They're also on the campaign trail," Rory said by way of introductions.

"It's nice to meet you boys. We'll just be off to our rooms," Kate said as the girls stood up from the bed. "Rory, we'll catch you later, okay? Let us know if you need anything."

"Thanks, guys. I'll talk to you later tonight," Rory replied as Kate and Laura walked toward the door.

Finn walked across the room and sat down next to Rory as the door closed behind the girls, holding her hand for support.

"Rory," Logan began, "I want to apologize for earlier. While the things that I said are true, I never should have said them. There's really no excuse for what I did today, but I do want to explain what happened. I thought I was over you, but I realized when I talked to Finn last night that I wasn't. A bottle of scotch along with the realization that I'm turning into my father were the catalysts for me making a complete ass of myself, and I truly am incredibly sorry."

"Thank you, Logan," Rory said as she leaned into Finn.

"I promise you that nothing like that will happen again. I'm going to reclaim my life and work through all of this. You and Finn are good together; I can see that now from seeing you two together."

"I appreciate your apology, Logan. The last thing I want to do is cause problems between you and Finn, but I won't back away from him. I meant what I said earlier, too. You and I did have a good thing back in college, and I did love you then, but I worked hard to move on after graduation and I'm in a really good place now."

"I'm really glad you are, Rory. Despite my jackass display earlier, I really do want you to be happy. I hope we can work toward being friends at some point."

"As long as Finn's around, I'm happy to work towards that, too."

"You're one hell of a woman, Rory Gilmore. Thank you."

"She really is one hell of a woman," Finn interjected as he kissed her on the temple.

"Aw, thank you, Finn," Rory replied with a blush. "Well, it's dinner time. Do you gentlemen have time to have dinner with me before you have to head back to the airport?"

Logan looked to Finn for input and saw the slight nod of his head.

"Sure," Logan and Colin both replied at the same time.

"Does that mean you do too, Finn?" she asked with a smile.

"About that, kitten. Since I'm already here I thought I'd work remotely this week and stay here with you instead of flying home and then back on Friday if that's okay with you."

"Seriously?" Rory squealed as her face lit up. "Of course it's okay! Are you sure it's okay for you to be away from the office all week?"

"I'm positive, love. Now, what sounds good for dinner?"

"Surprise me!" Rory exclaimed as she pulled a laughing Finn off of the bed and toward the door.

Logan observed the interactions between his best friend and ex-girlfriend and couldn't deny that they were good together and that they looked very happy. They seemed to be naturally at ease with each other, and in that moment he knew that he had to work through his issues and let her go once and for all.


	14. Chapter 14

Finn pulled Rory aside in the hotel lobby as Colin and Logan walked out the hotel door.

"Are you okay, love?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Finn. I just...I don't know how to act around him. I don't want to upset him more, but I don't want to act any differently with you either. Does that sound crazy?"

"It doesn't sound crazy at all. I told him that we wouldn't flaunt our relationship, but that we also wouldn't hide it. He's going to have to get used to us, so just be yourself and let him adjust to the idea."

"Okay," Rory said as she reached up and kissed Finn sweetly.

Finn took her hand in his and they walked out to the sidewalk to join up with the remaining two musketeers.

"There's a pizza place a couple of blocks down that looks good," Finn stated, and the other three nodded their agreement.

They proceeded down the street silently, each lost in their own thoughts regarding the events of the last twenty-four hours. They were seated quickly at a small booth in a quiet corner of the pizza place and began talking hesitantly.

"So, Reporter Girl," Colin began, "tell us all about what you've been up to since we last saw you. Are you enjoying writing on the campaign trail?"

"I really am," Rory answered. "It's been a great experience. I've started to make a name for myself and have even gotten a few job offers for after the election. A few of my articles have been syndicated, so that's been exciting, and that's really all I've had time for in my life since graduation, at least until I ran into this guy last week," Rory said as she nudged Finn and winked at him.

"I always knew you'd do well, Ace," Logan said wistfully.

"Um, thanks, Logan. So, Finn caught me up on what's going on with you guys last week. Congratulations on your engagement, Colin. I would love to talk with Steph again, if she wanted to talk to me."

"She would love that. I'll give her your number when I get back home and have her call you, and Finn can give you her number as well. We'd love for you to come to our engagement party in December. I mean, I'm sure that Finn will bring you as his date, but really, we would love for you to come," Colin replied.

"I'll definitely make sure that I'm there," Rory answered to Colin. "Do you have all the details, Finn?" she asked as she turned her attention to her boyfriend.

"I do, kitten. I'll get them to you tonight when we get back to the hotel," Finn replied as he put his arm around her and pulled her close. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, leaning into his chest.

The waiter came at this point and dropped off their beers and took their pizza orders. As soon as the waiter walked away Logan excused himself to the restroom.

"This is weird," Rory said quietly.

"It is, but he has to get used to it, love," Finn soothed as he gave her a light kiss on the lips.

"Colin, thank you so much for coming with Finn today. I was so relieved to see you guys walk in the room."

"No need for thanks, Reporter Girl. We've all missed having you around since you graduated. It will be great to have you back in our lives."

"Well, it will be great for most of you," Rory chuckled. "I'm not so sure about Logan."

"Don't let him get to you, Ror. This isn't your problem; he needs to straighten out his own life," Finn replied.

"I know, sweetheart," Rory replied quietly.

"I know I've been spending too much time with my fiance when I say this, but you two look really happy," Colin said.

"We are," they both said simultaneously, and then laughed together as they kissed once more. Neither realized that Logan was just approaching the table until after their kiss.

"Sorry about that," Rory replied with a blush when she saw them.

"Don't apologize, Rory. It's okay, really. You guys need to feel comfortable around me," Logan said. "I'll work on being happy for you guys. Right now we'll just have to settle for me staying out of the way."

"Thank you for that, Logan. I know it isn't easy, but I also know that you'll find your way back to happy again. I always believed you could, and I still do. The right woman for you is out there," Rory said quietly.

"Thank you, really. That does mean a lot."

Their pizzas were delivered at this point, and conversation lightened as they devoured their dinner and another round of beers. The group of four walked back to the hotel slowly, taking in the early fall evening. Logan and Colin retrieved their belongings from the room and bid the couple goodbye in the lobby.

"Again, it's good to see you, Reporter Girl. Let's make plans for the four of us to have dinner when you're in the City next month, okay?" Colin asked as he hugged Rory.

"I'd love that, Colin. Give Steph a hug for me, and I'll talk with her this week," Rory replied as she stepped away from him and toward Logan.

"I meant what I said earlier, Logan. Happiness is still very much possible for you. You've always been one to grab life by the horns and make things happen; build the life you want," Rory said as they embraced briefly. "I hope that sometime in the future this won't be awkward for us anymore."

"Thank you, Ace. And it won't always be awkward. I got quite the wake-up call this week. It will get easier," Logan replied as he kissed her on the cheek. "I'm glad you're happy, truly."

"Colin, mate, thank you for everything today. It means a lot to Rory and me," Finn said as he gave Colin a brief man hug.

"We're family, man, and I've got your back. Enjoy your week with the lovely Reporter Girl," Colin replied with a wink as Finn moved toward Logan.

"Take good care of her, Finn. Don't make the same mistakes that I made; they'l haunt you for a long time. Rory Gilmore is one hell of a woman, and getting over her isn't easy," Logan said quietly as he briefly embraced Finn.

"Will do, mate. Take care of yourself, and let me know how you're doing. I'll check on you later this week," Finn replied as he moved back to Rory's side and pulled her close.

"Mates, have a safe flight back. We'll get together next week after I return from Des Moines," Finn said finally as his two best mates waved goodbye and walked out to the waiting car.

"Now, darling," Finn smirked, "shall we retire to our room for the night?"

"We shall, sexy boyfriend," Rory replied with a giggle and a light kiss.

"That may be my favorite pet name you've used for me yet, kitten," Finn said with a laugh as they proceeded to the elevator and went upstairs to their room.

The couple walked into Rory's room a couple of minutes later and finally relaxed for the first time in hours.

"Other than you surprising me, that's a day I really don't care to repeat," Rory said as they sat down next to each other on the bed.

"You and I both, kitten. I don't know what he was thinking."

"Thank you so much for everything, Finn," Rory replied as she curled into his side. "I don't know how in the world I would have gotten rid of him otherwise."

"Anything for you, Ror, seriously. There wasn't ever a question in my mind when I figured out what he had done. I just knew I had to get here and make sure that you were okay. How are you doing with everything?"

"I'm okay. I was angry and really frustrated with him, but having you here helped me settle down. How are you holding up? Because honestly, you have even more reason to be upset to me. He's one of your best friends."

"I'm really not sure how I'm dealing with it, actually. My only concern this afternoon was making sure that you were okay and trying to figure out what he was thinking coming to see you. What he did is really just now starting to sink in. It will definitely take some time for me to trust him again."

"Yeah, it really will. I'm -" she said before Finn cut her off by kissing her.

"Don't apologize anymore, Ror. I mean it."

"Alright, no more apologizing," she answered with a smile as she leaned in and kissed him again. She looked at the clock when they pulled apart. "Is 9:00 too early to go to bed? Between not sleeping well last night and everything that's happened today I'm exhausted."

"Not too early at all. I'm exhausted as well; you're not the only one who didn't sleep well last night."

"Aw, did you miss me, Finny?" Rory teased.

"Only as much as you missed me," Finn returned with a smirk.

"Hmm…"

"That's all you have to say, Miss Gilmore?"

"You must have really missed me a lot then," Rory whispered as she leaned in and kissed him again. "What do you say we put that going to bed plan in action?"

"Ready for sleep, kitten?"

"Who said anything about sleep, Finn?" she replied with a smile.


	15. Chapter 15

Rory and Finn stirred slowly when her alarm rang through the hotel room on Monday morning, neither wanting to move out of the other's arms.

"Did you sleep well, kitten?" Finn asked in his deep, sleepy voice as he pulled her closer in his arms and kissed her on the forehead.

"Mmm...much better than I slept without you on Saturday night, and I probably shouldn't have admitted that," Rory replied with a blush.

"Admitted what? That apparently you don't sleep any better without me than I do without you?" Finn smirked.

"Well, as long as we're both ridiculously pathetic," Rory said with a teasing giggle. "I really don't want to get out of bed."

"Me either, love, but we both must be responsible adults who contribute to society," Finn replied with mock exasperation.

"You're totally harshing my buzz here, Finn," Rory said with a laugh.

"Hey, somebody has to do it!"

"Alright, alright, I'm up," Rory said as she grabbed Finn's shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head and started the coffee pot. "I'm going to hop in the shower while the coffee brews."

Rory showered quickly and emerged from the bathroom in work clothes ten minutes later.

"You know, if I have to get out of bed you should, too," Rory teased Finn.

"Hey, I could work in bed all day long," Finn mused right back.

"Somehow you don't strike me as the staying-in-bed-alone-all-day type, Finn."

"I'm really not, love. I'm up and moving now; I was just waiting for the shower. I'll probably work from the room or a coffee shop most of the day. What's your schedule look like for today?"

"Well, I have an event to cover this morning and another this afternoon, but I'm free at lunch and tonight," Rory replied as she sipped her coffee and styled her hair.

"Then I say we grab a quick breakfast and I can meet you for lunch, and then we can get out of here and have some fun this evening, if that sounds okay with you."

"That sounds better than okay, Finn! I can't believe that you're here all week again," Rory enthused.

"Are you sure that's okay, love? I didn't really run it by you first."

"It's perfect! Really, I love that you're here with me this week! I haven't felt this normal and happy since the last time I was home. I haven't seen my mom in months and I miss her so much, but having you here helps so much."

"I'm happy to help, love," Finn replied with a smile.

Finn showered quickly while Rory finished getting ready for work and the pair walked hand-in-hand to a small diner down the street and enjoyed breakfast before separating for work for the morning. Rory met up with Kate and Laura at the campaign event that they were covering while Finn walked back to their hotel room to grab his work things and find a quiet place to work. He settled at a small coffee shop and pulled out his cell phone before setting up his laptop.

"Lorelai's house of pain," came the quirky voice on the other end of the phone.

"Lorelai, it's Finn. I hope you're having a good morning," he chuckled in response to her greeting.

"Good morning, Finn! Is Rory okay?"

"Yes, she's fine, Lorelai. I actually was calling because I ended up flying to Des Moines yesterday due to some unforeseen circumstances and I'm spending the week here with her since I'm already here and was planning to be here this weekend. She mentioned how much she misses you this morning, and she doesn't have any campaign events on Thursday or Friday, so I thought it might be nice if you could fly in and surprise her if you're available. I'm happy to take care of your trip."

"Wow, more boyfriend points for the Aussie. What's the catch?"

"Catch? There's no catch; I just have a feeling she could use some time with you right now. I know you guys are best friends, and yesterday was a rough day. Logan flew out here and made a real jerk of himself. I flew in when I figured out what he was doing. He was trying to talk her into dating him again."

"That kid is like the cat that comes back, isn't he? Please tell me that my daughter didn't fall for his tactics?"

"No, she actually told him in no uncertain terms that they were over for good," Finn chuckled.

"So she's okay?"

"Yeah, she was angry and shook up, but she's alright. Colin and I got here a few minutes after he cornered her and diffused the situation."

"I have a good feeling about you, Aussie. I actually can clear my schedule for Thursday and Friday, and I would love to see my daughter and meet the man who's apparently so very good to her. I'll make travel arrangements and let you know when I'll get in."

"No need, Lorelai, honestly. I'm more than happy to fly you out here. I'll have a car waiting for you and I'll put us all in a suite at one of our hotels nearby; you don't need to worry about a thing."

"Why?" Lorelai asked simply.

"Why what?"

"Why would you do all of that for the mother of the woman you've been dating for a week now?"

"Lorelai, I've cared about your daughter for as long as I've known her, so while dating her is new, me caring for her certainly isn't. I know what she deserves, and I know that she's an amazing woman. I just like seeing her happy. It was hard for me to watch her with Logan, knowing that he didn't treat her well enough and having feelings for her myself," Finn replied shyly.

"Hmm...I'll reserve final judgement for after I meet you, but I have a feeling you're going to take over the title of my favorite of Rory's boyfriends soon," Lorelai teased.

"Does that come with a trophy or plaque?" Finn joked right back at Lorelai.

"Ooh, and he can even keep up with the witty banter. I'm going to have to get an actual scorecard to keep track of all of these points," Lorelai quipped, and Finn just chuckled at the exchange.

"Well, I will look forward to meeting you Thursday, Lorelai. I'll plan some fun and some time to relax while you're here with us. I'll send you the details of your travel arrangements later today."

"Thank you, Finn. I'll see you later this week," Lorelai replied as she hung up.

Finn immediately got online and booked Lorelai's tickets for her flight and then arranged the car to pick her up at the airport and their suite at his family hotel nearby before working on his laptop for the rest of the morning until time to meet Rory for lunch. They met for a quick lunch near the hotel and then she was off and running to cover her afternoon event while he continued his work and planned for the two days that Lorelai would be joining them in Des Moines.

Finn planned a quiet picnic in the park on Monday evening to enjoy the late fall day. He got takeout for dinner, a bottle of wine and a blanket when he met her after she had finished work for the day. They talked over dinner, laughing as they fed each other, and sipped their wine as they sat back on the blanket and enjoyed the warm sun and being together. After dinner they rode on the Heritage Carousel and then returned to their picnic blanket to watch the sunset and talk. Finn sat against a tree and Rory sat between his legs curled up in his embrace as they talked more about their families and childhoods as well as past relationships. Rory confided in Finn about her misguided third try with Dean, bracing herself for the worst, but must to her relief he simply held her as she talked and then assured her that everyone had done things they weren't proud of. In return, Finn opened up about his playboy ways in high school and college and how he had changed because he wanted more from life now. They finally strolled back to the hotel after the sun was long gone and curled up for another night in each other's arms.


	16. Chapter 16

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday passed in a blur of campaign activity and writing for Rory, and working long enough hours to keep himself from missing Rory too much and finishing his work for the entire week for Finn. They were in the same city and sharing a room, but their time together was limited.

This was crunch time in the Presidential campaign arena, and Rory found herself reeling much the same way as she had during finals week in college. She found herself increasingly grateful for the way that Finn just seemed to know what she needed. He was so incredibly intuitive, assuring her that he wanted her to work when she was apologetic for having to work too much, and then making sure she took time to relax and enjoy herself in what little down time she had. She often wondered how she would have made it through this week without him. They'd only been seeing each other for not even two weeks, but it felt like he had been in her life for much longer. In truth, he had been, but not in this capacity.

Finn had been careful to keep Lorelai's trip to Des Moines a surprise and wanted to have everything wrapped up with work as much as possible before her arrival in order to enjoy time with Rory and her mom. He was hopeful that all would go well in meeting Lorelai; he knew that Rory valued her mom's opinion and he also knew just how much Lorelai hadn't really cared for Logan for most of their relationship. He had never been much of one for wanting to meet the parents of the girls he'd dated, but he found himself very much looking forward to meeting Lorelai and hoping that his friendship with Logan didn't reflect poorly on him in her eyes.

Thursday morning came and Finn slipped out of bed before Rory was awake to double check that everything was set for Lorelai's trip and to ensure that she had everything that she needed. Satisfied that everything was handled, he started a pot of coffee and began packing things from around the room. He hadn't told Rory anything other than that he had made plans for the entire two days she was off and that it was a surprise, and he was almost giddy with excitement over seeing her reaction when the surprise played out.

He noticed Rory slowly stirring and moved to the bed to greet her, sitting down next to her.

"Morning, beautiful. Sleep well?" he asked after kissing her softly.

"Mmm...I really did. This week has worn me out, but I feel much more human now. Why are you up so early?"

"It's all part of the surprise, my dear. Now, you'd better get up and shower and get ready. Grab whatever clothes you want from your suitcase and I'll work on packing everything else while you're getting ready," Finn instructed.

"Pack for what, Finn?" Rory asked, her confusion evident on her face.

"That's for me to know and you to find out very soon. We're checking out as soon as you're ready. Now, up in the shower," Finn tutted at her as he pulled her out of bed and patted her butt as he sent her off to the shower still looking bewildered.

Rory grabbed jeans and a casual shirt from her suitcase, still eyeing her boyfriend suspiciously, but finally took off to the bathroom and allowed the hot shower to work out all of the tension from the binge reporting she had done this week. She emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later to find everything that wasn't in the bathroom packed up and Finn holding a cup of coffee for her.

"God, you really are the best," she cooed as she took the drink from his hands and leaned into him while she hungrily drank the cup.

"Anything for you, love," Finn whispered as he kissed her forehead. "Now, you finish up in the bathroom so we can get on our way."

"On our way where?" Rory baited him.

"Nice try, Miss Gilmore, but I'm not giving away any secrets," Finn replied sternly.

Rory returned to the bathroom to dry and fix her hair and swipe on minimal makeup, packing up her things in the bathroom as she finished. At 10:00 they were completely packed and ready for whatever it was that Finn had planned.

"You ready to head out for the surprise, kitten?" Finn asked as they took one last look around the room to ensure that they hadn't missed anything.

Something told Rory that Finn was up to something, but looking into his eyes and seeing the excitement and look of pride they held, no doubt over the looming surprise, Rory knew that she would willingly be ready for whatever he had up his sleeve.

"In omnia paratus!" Rory answered as she took Finn's hand and they left the hotel room.

They checked out quickly and there was a car waiting, bags already loaded, to take them to their unknown destination. Finn had apparently thought of everything, because their driver didn't need to be told where they were going. Rory decided to allow herself to just relax and enjoy whatever Finn had planned. She was a planner by nature, always needing to be in control and to know what was coming down the pike, but there was something about being with Finn that made her finally able to just relax and allow him to be in control. It was a completely new experience for her, but she was beginning to relish it. It showed her just how much she already trusted the amazing man whose arm was around her as they rode through the city.

They arrived at the Des Lux hotel in downtown Des Moines. Rory looked around and took in the building in front of her as they exited the car. It was a gorgeous luxury hotel, a bit on the trendy side, and they were greeted by name by the hotel manager before they had even walked in the door.

"Mr. Morgan, Miss Gilmore, we're delighted to have you staying with us. Please don't hesitate to call me personally if we can do anything to make your stay more enjoyable. Chris will bring your bags up," the manager said as he handed Finn room keys and motioned to the bellhop who was gathering their luggage from the trunk of the car..

"Thank you, Mark. We appreciate your hospitality very much. I'll let you know if we need anything," Finn answered as he shook the man's hand and lead Rory into the hotel.

"Wow, that's some greeting. If I didn't know better I would say that someone is trying to make a good impression on the boss," Rory teased quietly.

"Well, I'm certain that he's just enamored by the gorgeous brunette accompanying the boss and stumbling over himself to try to impress her," Finn teased back as they ascended in the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.

The elevator opened and they quickly proceeded to their suit.

"You know, Finn," Rory began, "we really didn't have to come to one of your hotels for these two days I'm off. I'll admit that this does feel a lot more like a home, but we would have been fine."

"I know we would have, love, but it's all part of the surprise, which will be revealed very shortly. It will all make sense soon, I promise."

"So, how long do we have until the surprise is revealed?" Rory answered as she crossed the room to Finn and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck and ear.

"Mmm...I think we might have just enough time for me to take your mind off of the surprise," Finn whispered against her lips.

Forty-five minutes later the couple laid happily in each other's arms, enjoying being close to each other without looming work deadlines and campaign events over their heads.

"Alright, missy, up and dressed!" Finn commanded as he looked at the clock.

"But what if I just want to stay in bed all day?!" Rory whined to Finn.

"I promise you that you won't want to once you find out what your surprise is, kitten. Now, we're out this door in ten minutes for your surprise and lunch, so get a move on!" Finn teased.

Rory and Finn dressed quickly and were downstairs ten minutes later. Finn pulled Rory over to the side of the lobby and wrapped his arms around her as they stood there.

"Care to tell me why we're standing in a lobby, Finn?" Rory asked teasingly.

"Actually, I don't care to tell you why. Just wait a minute and you'll see for yourself," Finn answered.

Right at that moment Finn saw what could only be described as an older Rory walk through the hotel doors, and he turned Rory toward the door and pointed to get her attention. Rory just stood there stunned for a few seconds before she responded.

"You...that's...are you serious?" Rory exclaimed excitedly, looking back and forth between Finn and the approaching figure.

"Surprise, kitten," Finn responded as he kissed her and sent her off in the direction of her mom.

"Mom!" Rory squealed as she flew into her mom's waiting arms.

"Rory!" Lorelai answered just as loudly as the two jumped and embraced in the lobby.

Finn chuckled as he watched the happy reunion between mother and daughter, happy to see the joyful interaction between the two and the surprise on Rory's face. Rory and Lorelai finally left each other's embrace and Finn walked over to meet them.

"I'm so glad you could come, Lorelai," Finn said as he reached the pair.

"I'm glad you asked me to come," Lorelai replied and she embraced him in a warm hug.

"Wait, this was all your idea?" Rory asked, looking at Finn.

"I thought you might enjoy some time with your mom, love, and judging by that reunion I was right."

"You really are incredible," Rory answered as she snuggled close into Finn's side and wrapped her arms around him.

"Anything for you, Ror," Finn replied as he kissed the top of her head. "Now, it's lunchtime and I've know better than to even think about having two hungry Gilmore girls on my hands. Shall we, ladies?" Finn asked as he offered an arm to each of the ladies to lead them outside.

The trio walked to Tasty Tacos, just a few blocks from the hotel, and shared stories over tacos. Finn and Lorelai hit it off instantly, bantering back and forth, and the three laughed and enjoyed a long, casual lunch. After lunch Finn walked the ladies back to the hotel and left Rory and Lorelai at the hotel spa for an afternoon of massages, manicures and pedicures.

"Wow, this is so amazing!" Rory exclaimed as they were getting pedicures.

"It definitely is. I don't even know when the last time we got to do something like this was," Lorelai replied.

"I can't believe that he did all of this for us."

"Believe it, kiddo. From where I'm sitting, that man is already crazy about you."

"It really seems that way, doesn't it? Rory replied.

"It does. And how are you feeling about the handsome Aussie?" Lorelai inquired.

"It's...it's weird, Mom. It's not even been two weeks, but it's been amazing. He's so sweet, and he really talks to me and listens to me. He seems to just intuitively know when I need, and it's actually easy to just let go and not be in control with him around. It feels…" Rory trailed off.

"It feels like what, sweet?" Lorelai prodded.

"Being with him the last two weeks has made me feel deliciously happy and content and peaceful."

"Wow," Lorelai replied.

"Wow indeed. So, what do you think about him?" Rory asked.

"Honestly?"

"Of course. I know you've never really liked any of my boyfriends, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to know," Rory answered, bracing herself for the worst.

"You're not going to freak out if I tell you?"

"I promise, no freaking out, Mom. Although you are kind of scaring me now."

"I think that he's really good for you, Ror. He obviously fits in with the Hartford society crowd that comes with being a Gilmore and a Hayden, and a Morgan, but I can also see him being completely at home in Stars Hollow. And he obviously knows how close you and I are and loves it, seeing how he called and invited me out here and insisted that I couldn't pay for anything all weekend."

"I still can't believe he did that. He's so thoughtful, Mom."

"He really is, sweetie. I think…" Lorelai stopped herself, not knowing whether or not she should continue.

"You think what, Mom?"

"You know how I've always known everything about you, long before you told me and often long before you knew yourself?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I think that my baby girl has had her last first date," Lorelai finished quietly, watching for Rory's reaction.

Rory sat there for a few seconds, processing her Mom's words, before smiling broadly.

"Well, we certainly haven't been together long enough to be in love, but I certainly wouldn't mind that," Rory replied with a wistful grin.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I apologize that this chapter is a short one; it just seemed to naturally break here.

Rory and Lorelai returned from the spa to find Finn relaxing in the room waiting for them.

"Did you ladies enjoy the spa?" he asked as Rory sat down next to him and cuddled into his side.

"It was the best. I don't know if I've ever felt this relaxed," Rory beamed as she leaned up for a chaste kiss.

"It was wonderful, Finn. Thank you so much," Lorelai added.

"I thought we might relax here in the suite tonight if that's okay with you ladies?"

"That would be amazing!" Rory answered quickly.

" I thought you might think so," Finn replied. "Chinese and pizza will be here in twenty minutes, junk food and coffee are in the kitchen, and we can stream movies from Netflix."

"Oh, you are good, Aussie," Lorelai said with an appreciative grin.

"He's the best!" Rory added. "Come on, Mom, let's get the snacks ready!"

Rory and Lorelai went in the kitchen and stared in awe as they took in the food sitting on the counter. Finn had gotten popcorn, Red Vines, Mallomars, M&Ms, Skittles and Pop-Tarts for the movie night.

"Wow, kiddo. If you don't keep him around I may have to steal him," Lorelai teased.

"First of all, you're married to Luke, and I don't think he'd like for you to keep another man around," Rory retorted. "And second of all, he's my boyfriend, thank you very much. I'm not sharing with you or anyone else."

"Ooh, you're possessive and you have a dreamy look on your face," Lorelai jabbed at her daughter.

"Is that a problem?"

"Nope, it's great," Lorelai assured her.

The pair got the snacks ready and returned to the living room just as Finn answered the door to collect the pizza and Chinese food. They all settled on the couch and talked animatedly over dinner before turning their attention to the television.

"What shall we watch tonight, ladies?" Finn asked.

"Ooh, let me pick!" Lorelai exclaimed.

Finn handed the remote to Lorelai and sat back on the couch next to Rory who was quickly snuggling into his side. Lorelai took great joy in scrolling through the movies and finally settled on the titles for the evening and pressed play. Finn laughed as he listened to Rory and Lorelai mock and quote the movies. The mother-daughter pair was beyond amusing to him with their witty banter and constant joking as they inhaled the junk food that was laid out on the coffee table in front of them. Before long, Rory had laid down on the couch with her head in his lap and her feet in her mom's lap. Finn unconsciously stroked her hair as they watched the movies and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

"She's out," came Lorelai's voice.

"She's been stressed and tired these last few days, between work and Logan's antics this week," Finn answered.

"Thank you for being here with her, Finn. I can't tell you how much better it feels for me to know that she has someone who watches out for her like you do and takes such good care of her."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, Lorelai. Taking care of her feels like the most natural thing in the world," Finn replied with a slight blush.

"You're crazy about her," Lorelai stated simply.

Finn watched her for a moment before replying. "Yeah, I am."

"Well, I happen to know for certain that she's crazy about you, too. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I've never seen her like this with any of her other boyfriends. You make her very happy and also more peaceful and calm. Those two words aren't often used to describe my daughter."

"Well, she makes me very happy as well, Lorelai."

"Good, I'm glad. For what it's worth, you have the Lorelai Victoria Gilmore stamp of approval. I'm not even going to give you the hurt-her-and-I-hurt-you speech, because I don't think it's necessary. I can tell by the way you look at her that you would never hurt her intentionally."

"You're right, I wouldn't," Finn answered quietly. "Now, I'm going to go put her in bed. Which side of your bed would you like her on?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Finn. Put her on whichever side of YOUR bed that you'd like her on."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I'm one of the cool moms, Finn. You two sleep well and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Finn smiled and bid Lorelai goodnight before taking Rory in his arms to carry her to bed, and he exhaled a happy sigh as she cuddled further into him and wrapped her arms around his neck when he picked her up. He gently laid her in bed before crawling into his own side of the bed. He chuckled to himself as he realized that somehow, after less than two weeks of dating, he and Rory had their own sides of the bed and their own routines. While he had certainly changed since college, this level of familiarity and commitment at this point in a relationship would still have made him feel uncomfortable with any other woman, but with Rory it simply made him feel like things were just as they should be. He turned off the light and rolled over to go to sleep with a smile on his face as Rory sought him out even in her sleep, scooting across the bed until she was laying pressed up against him. Yes, it was official. Finn Morgan was a goner.


	18. Chapter 18

Rory picked up her phone and sent a text as she entered her hotel room and dropped her luggage on the floor.

 _I'm checked in at the hotel. Hope you're having a great day. xo_

The campaign bus had moved from Des Moines to Charlotte, and after a short stop in Atlanta they were in Miami. It was the October 1st, and Rory was desperately looking forward to taking the next week off. Finn and her Mom had talked her into taking leave the week of her birthday to come home, and she couldn't be any happier about it. She missed home desperately.

True to his word, Finn had come to visit her the weekend she was in Charlotte as well, and they had enjoyed a laidback weekend of relaxation and just being close to each other, scarcely leaving the hotel room. She missed him during that week; due to Logan's antics they had spent almost the entire two previous weeks together, and she found herself acutely aware of how different things were without him around. She missed waking up next to him and going to sleep next to him, she missed talking about their days over dinner, and she missed having him physically close to her. In a matter of two weeks, he had become a fixture in her life. There hadn't been a pro/con list or a lengthy decision making process. She hadn't waffled between her choices. She'd just taken the chance and followed her heart, and for once it was working out better than she could have dreamed. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the ringing of her phone.

"Hey there, gorgeous," Rory answered her phone with a huge smile.

"I like that greeting, kitten. How are you this morning?" Finn answered.

"Not as good as when I wake up next to you," Rory purred.

"I do miss that terribly. Life just isn't the same when you don't wake up with your beautiful girlfriend in your arms. I'm looking forward to getting next week together. Are you all set to leave on Friday?"

"I am. I just have today and tomorrow to get through and then I'll be headed your way for 11 glorious days without work."

"Whatever will you do to occupy your time, love?" Finn teased.

"Hmm...I think you might be able to help me with that, Mr. Morgan. Speaking of which, are you still going to be able to be there the whole week?"

"I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else, Ror. I'll be there the entire time that you're off. Your mom let me know that she booked us a room at the Dragonfly; she thought we might be more comfortable there than in your old room."

"Just how much have you been talking to my Mom, Finn? I'm not sure that I like you being in cahoots with her."

"Enough that you should be scared," Finn chuckled. "Seriously, though, it's your 25th birthday. We both know that you'll have to endure the society party from the Gilmores and Francine; we just want to make sure you get to let loose and enjoy yourself with a celebration that's more you."

"Thank you; you're amazing. And thank you for enduring the society birthday party gala with me, too. I know that it's going to be crazy, and I'm so not looking forward to being the center of attention with the announcements, but having you there by my side will make it bearable."

"It's my pleasure, love. Now, onto much more important topics. How long until you have to be ready to go?"

"We have a late start today, so I've got a couple of hours. Why?"

"Perfect! Tell me, what is my gorgeous girlfriend wearing right now?"

"Finn!"

"Because I slept in the buff and haven't gotten out of bed yet."

"Dirty!" Rory replied with a laugh.

"I'm trying, love," Finn pleaded.

"Fine," Rory replied before Finn heard a muffled rustling.

"Fine what, my dear?" Finn teased.

"Just...one...second. There! Now we're wearing the same thing," Rory purred.

"I was so hoping that might be the case, kitten. Now, let me tell you how much I've missed being with you…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat down on her bed with a hefty sigh, exhausted from the events of the last two days and eager to be on an airplane the next morning. It had been months since she'd been home, and she was incredibly excited for her week there for her birthday. She was also incredibly excited that the countdown was now at just over a month left on the campaign trail. She had filed her last article for the week and was officially completely done until she returned to Philadelphia the week after her birthday to meet the campaign bus.

She quickly packed up everything that she wouldn't need the next morning to get ready and slipped under the covers, ready to sleep. She felt almost like a child on Christmas Eve; she was so excited about tomorrow that she didn't know if she would be able to sleep even with how exhausted she was. She grabbed her phone and pressed speed dial 2 and waited for the familiar voice on the other line.

"Tomorrow's the day, kitten. How's my girl?"

"Mmm...I'm better now," she replied with a sigh.

"Bad day?"

"No, not at all. I'm just tired and the last two days have been crazy busy and stressful, and just hearing your voice melts all the stress away," Rory cooed.

"Glad I can help, love," Finn chuckled. "It must be the accent."

"Nope, never done it for me before. I think it's the man with the accent."

"I'm glad, although you do know it's highly likely that our sappy tendencies with both make our friends nauseated and give them ample material for mocking me mercilessly when we see them next week, don't you?"

"Eh, it's all good. Let 'em be jealous," Rory replied as she laughed.

"Easy for you to say, you won't be the one teased for being such a softie!"

"Aw, baby, have they not seen the romantic side of Finn yet?" Rory teased.

"Laugh it up, Miss Gilmore. As a matter of fact, they have not. It has thus far in my life been reserved for you, and they've really never seen us together, which the exception of dinner with Colin and Logan in Des Moines."

"Well, I promise I'll defend you then. I can't have them questioning your masculinity. I'll make sure I remind them that it's not all just sappy romance. I mean, we have to be in the running for a record in the number of states we'll get to shag in during the first 60 days of a relationship, right?"

"Shag, kitten?! I am rubbing off on you!" Finn roared with a laugh.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Rory asked with a giggle.

"You can call it whatever you'd like as long as I'm the only one who gets to experience it."

"Always, baby," Rory answered teasingly. "So, I'm all packed and ready to fly out in the morning. Are you still picking me up at the airport?"

"Actually, I won't be able to pick you up at the airport," Finn said.

"You won't?" Rory tried to hide her disappointment, but she was really looking forward to seeing him as soon as she arrived. "Will you be at work?"

"No, I just had something else come up that I have to take care of," Finn replied.

"Oh. Okay, when will I get to see you then?" Just then there was a knock on the door. "Hang on a minute, someone's knocking on my door."

Rory walked over to the door and looked through the peephole and squealed with delight, hanging up her phone and throwing it on the bed before opening the door.

"What are you doing here?!" she asked excitedly as she threw herself in Finn's arms.

"Like I said, something else came up that I had to take care of," Finn smirked.

"And what was that?" she asked coyly.

"You, kitten. Someone has to make sure you're properly fed and caffeinated and frankly, I couldn't wait another minute to see you."

"Get in here!" she said with a laugh as she pulled him into her hotel room and shut the door behind them. "When did you decide to fly down here? Are you seriously just here to see me twelve hours earlier?"

"This has been my plan all along, love; you just didn't know it. And yes, I seriously just came here to see you twelve hours earlier. Is that okay?"

"It's better than okay, Finn! Just one thing…"

"What's that, love?"

"You know those things you wanted to do to me yesterday morning on the phone? Well, I'm here, and you're here, and there's the bed," Rory purred in ear as she pulled him across the room.

"I love the way you think, Miss Gilmore," Finn replied with a wide smile as he dropped his overnight bag and followed her across the room to the bed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is the best way to start my birthday week," Rory whispered sleepily as she and Finn both stirred the next morning.

"I have to agree, kitten. We'll get to sleep next to each other for ten whole nights, you know."

"Mmm...whatever will we do? You might get tired of me," Rory teased.

"Not even going to happen, love, but you're welcome to hang around long enough to try to make me tired of you. You should probably clear your schedule for a very, very long time, though."

"I wouldn't want to anger your New York girlfriend by hogging all your time," Rory teased.

"No need to worry; I cut her loose when we started seeing each other. I told her an amazing brunette had captured my heart."

"Hmm," Rory replied.

"Hmm?" Finn asked.

"Yes, it seems we've both lost our hearts to an amazing brunette," Rory replied softly as she kissed Finn.

"Well, I must say that I've never been so happy to have brown hair," Finn teased as he nuzzled closer to her. "Now, as much as I love what you're attempting to start here, we really do have to get ready to go to the airport."

"You're no fun! I was just trying to say a proper good morning," Rory said as she glided her fingers over his well-defined chest.

"Well, we'll have time for a proper good morning on the private jet, but right now you need to get that cute butt ready to go!" Finn admonished her as he pulled her out of bed and sent her off to the bathroom.

"You know, I've never joined the Mile High Club," Rory teased as she got her clothes for the day out.

"You definitely should, kitten. They have membership cards and everything, I hear."

"You hear? What, no membership card for you?"

"Not yet, but there's always today," Finn replied with a wink.

The couple quickly got ready for their flight back to Hartford, packing all of Rory's things and grabbing danishes and coffees on their way out of the hotel. They arrived just in time for their flight and breezed through the VIP security area before proceeding to the tarmac to board their plane. They settled in easily for their three hour flight, and before they knew it they were in the air. Rory was reading a book when she felt Finn pull her feet into his lap and start massaging them.

"Good book, love?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's pretty good. I've read it before," Rory replied, showing him the cover.

"So there's no burning need to read it again right now," Finn flirted back.

"Did you have something better for me to do with my time, Mr. Morgan?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"As a matter of fact, I did. There's that matter of earning new membership cards…" he trailed off.

"You are incorrigible," Rory giggled.

"And that's not an answer to my proposition, Miss Gilmore," Finn replied with a questioning look.

"Let's earn our wings!" Rory chuckled as Finn picked her up and carried her to the couch.


	19. Chapter 19

"Mom!" Rory squealed as she flew out the door of the rental car and through the yard to meet her mom's waiting arms.

"Daughter!" Lorelai yelled back with a laugh and she ran to meet her daughter.

Finn laughed as he watched the exuberant reunion between his girlfriend and her mom in the yard of the Crap Shack. They had landed in Hartford, gotten their rental car and driven straight to Stars Hollow. He walked over to the hugging pair as they broke their embrace.

"How's my favorite Aussie?" Lorelai asked as she hugged Finn.

"I'm great, Lorelai. I'm happy to be here with you guys this week," Finn replied with a chuckle.

"You're always welcome here at the Crap Shack, Finn. Are you guys hungry?" Lorelai asked looking at Rory and Finn.

"Starving!" Rory replied with a giggle.

"Luke's?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, it's been so long! Is that okay with you, Finn?" Rory asked as she turned to Finn with her doe-eyed pleading look.

"Save that look for sometime when you actually need it, Ror," Finn said with a laugh. "Luke's sounds great. I'm excited to get to try his food and meet him."

The three walked to Luke's, laughing and talking along the way. The ringing of Rory's phone broke them from their revelry.

"Huh, it's an unknown number," Rory mused as she looked at her phone. She stopped walking right outside the diner to answer it, her mom and Finn stopping with her to listen to her side of the conversation.

"Rory Gilmore," she answered, pausing to hear the caller.

"Yes ma'am, I did."

"Oh wow, that's amazing. Of course I'm still interested."

"Wednesday at 1:00? Yes, that would be perfect."

"Thank you so much. I look forward to meeting you Wednesday," Rory said in shock as she hung up her phone.

Lorelai and Finn watched as she stood there awestruck for a moment, not saying anything, and then she finally started jumping up and down screaming.

"Is everything okay, sweets?" Lorelai asked.

"No, everything is freaking fabulous!" Rory squealed. "That was the New York Times. The New York Times! I have an interview with them on Wednesday!"

"That's the dream!" Lorelai squealed back as she joined Rory in her dancing and celebrating.

"I'm so proud of you, Ror!" Finn exclaimed as he picked Rory up and swung her around before depositing her back on the ground and kissing her soundly. "They would be crazy not to want you, kitten."

"I can't believe this!" Rory said in a daze. "I didn't even think to ask you, Finn, is it okay for us to go to the City Wednesday?"

"You don't even need to ask, love. Of course we can go to the City on Wednesday. Perhaps we could drive in on Tuesday and get together with Colin and Steph and whoever else is in town that evening? I know they would love to see you."

"Absolutely!" Rory replied as she kissed him softly. "Now, we need Luke's!"

Rory took Finn's hand and lead the way into the diner, smiling as she heard the familiar ring of the bells over the door and Luke snapping at Kirk over the crust on his sandwich.

"Luke!" she exclaimed when he looked up to see who had walked in the door.

"Rory! Welcome home, kiddo!" Luke replied warmly as he smiled one of his rare smiles and hugged her tightly before turning his attention to the young man who had walked in holding her hand. Rory walked back over to Finn and took his hand.

"Luke, this is my boyfriend, Finn. Finn, this is my mom's boyfriend and chief supplier of food for Gilmore girls, Luke," Rory said by way of introduction.

"It's nice to meet you, Luke. Rory has nothing but wonderful things to say about you," Finn said as he extended his hand to Luke.

"Nice to meet you as well, Finn. I hear you've been taking great care of our girl here. Anyone who Lorelai approves of so much must be a good man," Luke replied as he shook the hand Finn offered. "You guys grab a table and I'll be right there to take your orders."

Rory beamed as she heard Luke and Lorelai's approval of her boyfriend, really for the first time in her entire life, and marveled once again at the unexpected turn her life had taken at the chance meeting with one of her ex-boyfriend's best friends. She never could have predicted that life would have brought her to this place, but she was overwhelmingly grateful for to be here with this amazing man next to her. She led him over to their favorite table next to the window and sat down next to him and across from her mom just as Luke was grabbing the coffee pot.

"Coffee coming right up for you two. Finn?" Luke asked.

"I would love to try some of the famous Luke's coffee. Rory says it's the absolute best," Finn answered as Luke picked up three coffee cups and walked toward the table. Luke sat the three cups down in front of them and filled them before grabbing his order pad and asking for their orders.

"I assume I know what you two want?" he asked Rory and Lorelai.

"Yep, cheeseburgers and chili fries!" Rory answered excitedly.

"I've missed having you around so much that I'm not even going to comment on how unhealthy that is," Luke grumbled. "What can I get for you, Finn?"

"I'll trust the opinion of the lovely ladies here with me and have the same," Finn answered quickly and Luke wrote down their orders and walked toward the counter to give them to Caesar.

"So, what all do you two have planned for this week?" Lorelai asked.

"I guess we'll spend most of Tuesday and Wednesday in New York, and then my party here on Thursday and in Hartford on Friday. I am not looking forward to that circus," Rory said as she shuddered at the thought of the pomp and circumstance that would come with the evening.

"How are you feeling about that, kiddo?" Lorelai asked.

"I guess I'm as okay with it as I'm going to be," Rory confided. "I appreciate that they trust me and want to do this for me, but I'm a little intimidated and worried about letting them down. I wasn't too surprised about Grandpa and Grandpa wanting to name me the heiress to the Gilmore business and fortune, but I'm still shocked that Francine wants to name me as their heiress as well. I'm not going into the insurance business, and I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know how they think I'm going to do this."

"Take a deep breath, love," Finn said as he rubbed soothing circles on her back and kissed her forehead. "You don't have to go into the insurance business or be a lawyer in order to make them proud. Both businesses have a board of directors and you can hire people to run them for you. Your grandparents just want you to oversee things, reap the benefits of their hard work and financial gain, and ensure that the businesses remain in the family. You're going to do a great job."

"You are amazing, Finn," Rory replied softly as she nuzzled in close to him and kissed his cheek. "You always know just what to do or say to help me feel better. I don't know how you do that so well."

"It just comes naturally with you, kitten," Finn answered.

"Okay, as adorable as the two of you are, that's enough of the mushiness," Lorelai teased. "Rory, we have two gossips on the approach."

"Rory, sugar, it's so good to have you back home!" came Babette's voice.

"Indeed, it is. Tell us, doll, who is this delicious young man next to you?" Miss Patty added.

"Don't stand up; they'll pinch your ass," Rory whispered into Finn's ear before she replied to the two ladies. "Babette, Miss Patty, it's so great to see you guys! This is my boyfriend, Finn Morgan. Finn, this is Babette and Miss Patty."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies," Finn replied as he offered his hand, grateful for the warning to stay sitting down in order to save himself from certain groping.

"Rory, you certainly know how to pick them," Miss Patty purred. "Finn, if you decide you need an older woman you just let me know."

"Miss Patty!" Rory yelped in shock.

"That's so kind of you, Miss Patty, but the lovely lady next to me seems to have stolen my heart, and I have no intention of retrieving it from her," Finn smirked as he wrapped his arm tighter around Rory.

"Alright, you two get back to your table," Luke barked as he sat plates down in front of Lorelai, Rory and Finn.

"Wow, that was interesting," Finn chuckled after the two gossips had returned to their table and Luke and had walked away.

The group enjoyed an uneventful lunch after that and Rory gave Finn the tour of the town before they dropped by to visit Lane, Zach and the twins. Finn hit it off with the Van Gerbig family and the group ended up enjoying dinner together before retiring to the inn for the evening.


	20. Chapter 20

"Good morning, love," Finn whispered as Rory stirred in his arms Tuesday morning.

"Morning, Finn," Rory purred as she burrowed closer to Finn's body and sighed a happy sigh. Finn chuckled at the sight. Waking up with Rory had quickly become one of his favorite moments over the last month.

"Did you sleep well?" Finn asked.

"I always do when I'm next to you," Rory replied sleepily as she yawned.

"It is nice, isn't it?" Finn answered before his phone rang.

"Morgan," he answered quickly after looking at the caller ID.

" _Good morning, Caroline."_

" _No, I'm on vacation this week. Is everything okay?  
_ " _Oh no...No, I totally understand. It will take me three or four hours to get there by car, but I'll get moving that way."_

" _Hartford? Yeah, I can do that. Have a car waiting when we land,"_ Finn finished as he hung up.

"Is everything okay, Finn?" Rory asked as soon as he hung up the phone.

"I'm afraid not, love. That was my secretary; a guest at one of our properties was intoxicated and drowned in the pool. I need to help handle the PR and media mess in the office in the City. They're sending a helicopter to Hartford to pick us up in order to get us there quickly. I'm so sorry that we need to leave earlier," Finn answered quickly.

"Hey, you don't need to apologize," Rory reassured him as she jumped out of bed and moved to her suitcase. "Are we headed straight to your office?"

"Yes, I can have the car drop you off at my apartment if you'd prefer," Finn answers as he gets dressed and packs quickly.

"No, I'll go with you and make sure there's nothing I can do to help you," Rory answers quickly as she pulls out slacks, a button-down shirt and a dress jacket.

"You are amazing, love," Finn replies as he ducks into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Rory quickly dresses and brushes her hair out, packs the rest of her things, and brushes her teeth, deciding to put on her makeup on the way to save time. She calls her mom to tell her that they're leaving earlier than expected and the couple stops by Luke's to grab muffins and coffee to go before driving to Hartford to meet the helicopter. After a short helicopter ride, Finn briefs Rory on what he knows of the situation on the way to the office. They arrive and she grabs her messenger bag and walks into the office with Finn.

Finn and Rory are met at the front doors by Finn's secretary, Caroline.

"Mr. Morgan, your father is waiting in your office," Caroline tells Finn as she greets the pair.

"Thank you, Caroline. Caroline, this is Rory Gilmore, my girlfriend. Rory, this is my secretary, Caroline," Finn introduces the two quickly as they board the elevator and ride to the top floor or Morgan Holdings and the two ladies greet each other. Rory stops Finn as they step off of the elevator.

"Hey, do you want me to wait out here?" Rory asks, not wanting to be in the way.

"No, come on in, love," Finn says as he takes her hand. "Dad will be thrilled to meet you, even under these circumstances. You won't be in the way at all."

Rory nods and follows Finn into his office, where she sees a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and the same piercing eyes that Finn has.

"Dad, we got here as quickly as we could," Finn greets his father as he hugs him.

"Thank you so much, son. I apologize for calling you in; with us not currently having a Media and Public Relations Director this is going to be a nightmare."

"It's no problem at all, Dad. We were headed to the City today anyway," Finn explained. "Dad, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Rory Gilmore. Rory, this is my Dad, Finnegan Morgan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Rory said as she extended her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Gilmore, but please, call me Finnegan. We aren't much for formalities in our family," Finnegan replied as he shook her hand.

"Then I insist that you call me Rory as well," Rory returned. "Now, I'll just stay out of your way over here," Rory said as she sat down on the couch in Finn's office and took out her laptop. Finnegan began briefing his son on the latest details of the incident as Rory opened her laptop, turning to Google to see what was being said in the media about the incident. She began to frown as she read article after article that spun the incident in a negative light as she also listened to the conversation between Finn and his father.

"Of all the times to be without a Media and PR point person," Finnegan lamented.

"I know, Dad. I guess we'll just have to do our best, right?" Finn replied. "I'll do some searching and see if I can figure out what we need to know about sending out a press release. Do we have someone here who might know something about writing one?"

"I'm afraid that you and I are the best we've got right now, son. I've been wracking my brain, but no one on staff has that kind of experience."

Rory watched the two volley back and forth with ideas and frustrations for a few minutes before she tentatively stood up and joined them at the conference table in Finn's office with her laptop.

"Everything okay, love?" Finn asked as she sat down.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...look, I don't want to butt in, and you can tell me to go back to the couch and I'll happily do so, but it looks like you guys could use some help and I may be the most-qualified option that you have."

"You're right, Ror. I don't know why I didn't think of that," Finn answered her before turning his attention to his dad. "Dad, Rory graduated from Yale with her degree in Journalism and Business Management and was the editor of the Yale Daily News for a year. She's an incredibly talented journalist."

"You don't mind helping us out, Rory?" Finn asked hopefully. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Not at all; I'm more than happy to lend whatever expertise that I have to the situation," Rory answered quickly.

"Alright, it's settled. What do we need to do?" Finnegan asked quickly.

"I'll draft a press release and get it ready to go out. I will call Logan and make arrangements for HPG to cover the press release. We can let them break the story from our perspective. We need to communicate our sympathies to the family while making it clear that the hotel had no responsibility in his untimely death. The stories that are currently out there regarding the situation all cast Morgan Holdings in a negative light; we need to change this. I have a connection at ABC that I can talk with about getting them to cover the story as well; they need to see Mogran Holdings in a positive light. Let's start with those things," Rory finished as she was already typing on her computer and grabbing her phone.

" _Hi, Mark? This is Rory Gilmore, how are you?"_

 __" _I'm well, thank you. Listen, I'm in Morgan Holdings' corporate office this morning working with them. We are about to put out a press release about the situation. We can offer you guys an exclusive interview if you're interested in covering the story."_

" _Yes, I'll have them there at 4:00. I'll send over the press release shortly. Would you like me to send it to your personal e-mail address?"_

 __" _Okay, we'll do. I'll see you this afternoon. Thank you for your help, Mark."_ Rory said as she hung up and dialed another number.

" _Logan, it's Rory. I need your help…"_ she began

Finnegan just looked at Finn for a minute, in awe of what Rory had accomplished in under ten minutes.

"Wow, son. I must say, I'm impressed," Finnegan told his son as Rory continued to discuss the situation with Logan.

"I know she's amazing, but even I am a bit surprised, Dad," Finn chuckled.

"How can we help her?" Finnegan asked his son.

"We can keep her supplied with strong coffee and order lunch in," Finn replied with a smile as he watched Rory hang up with Logan.

"I'll take care of it," Finnegan replied as he stepped out of the room to do what he can to help.

"You are incredible, love," Finn tells her as he kisses her forehead. "Seriously, thank you. You've accomplished more in ten minutes than Dad and I would have in hours."

"I'm happy to do it," she says with a smile, not even stopping typing to look up. "Why don't you see if you can get the messages that I'm sure are coming in with questions about the incident? We'll make sure we do everything we can in order to minimize the negative publicity."

"Will do," Finn says as he walks out of his office and down the hall to his dad's secretary to inquire about messages.

Finnegan returned to the office fifteen minutes later with copious amounts of coffee and muffins from the cafe next door to their headquarters. Rory looked up at him briefly as she finished typing and hit print.

"Finn mentioned you could use coffee and lunch," Finnegan began. "Lunch will be here in about an hour."

"Thank you so much, Finnegan. You really didn't have to, but I won't turn down coffee," Rory laughed. "Here's the draft of the press release. We can all go through it and make any needed changes and then I will start sending it out," she continued as she slid a paper over to Finnegan and picked up a muffin and coffee. Finn walked back in at that moment with a stack of messages and sat down heavily next to Rory.

"Here," she said as she slid a paper to him as well. "We're reading through and making changes."

Finn took the paper from Rory and began reading the press release that she had drafted, and he had to admit that he was very impressed. It was far better than he or his dad could have done.

"I think it looks great," Finn said as he pushed it back. "I don't see any changes that need to be made."

"I agree," Finnegan added. "Let's get it out to the media."

Rory gave a relieved smile and nodded to both of the men as she took the last bite of her muffin. She sent it off to Mark at ABC News and Logan first before sending it out nationwide. She placed a quick call to both Mark and Logan to let them know that the press release was in their inboxes and turned her attention to the stack of messages.

"Alright, I also wrote out a short statement from the company about the incident. Let's split these up and start returning calls and give them the statement. Avoid going off-script; it's their job to trip you up and make you say something that reflects poorly," Rory warned as she split the stack up and began returning calls. An hour later they had made contact with everyone who had left messages for them and they all took a break to eat the lunch that Finnegan had arranged.

"Oh my goodness, this is so delicious! Thank you so much for lunch, Finnegan," Rory gushed as she ate her pasta.

"It's really the least that I could do, Rory. Thank you for everything that you've done today. I can't say enough about how much of a help you've been," he replied as there was a knock on the door. Finnegan's secretary, Susan entered the room.

"Mr. Morgan, here are the papers you asked me to draw up," she said as she handed him a folder and left the room. Finnegan looked through the papers quickly and passed the folder over to Rory.

"What's this?" she asked before she opened the folder.

"It's a short-term contact, just for the week. I want to ensure that you're compensated for your work today. This whole situation could have been much, much worse had you not stepped in."

"No, Finnegan. I appreciate the thought so much, but that's really not necessary at all," Rory answered as she pushed the folder back to him. "We'll just call it even for letting Finn use the corporate jet to come see me every weekend."

"If you're sure, Rory, but if you change your mind please let me know," Finnegan finally relented.

The three finished lunch and the two men asked Rory what was next.

"You two need to go home and grab something appropriate for the news coverage tonight. We have to be in-studio by 5:00. I already typed up talking points for the interview and forwarded them to Mark. They will stick to questions from that so you'll be prepared. I have copies here for both of you as well," Rory added as she handed them both copies of the papers. "I'll go to the studio with you and prep you on the way there and will make sure you're ready to go."

Both men stared at her agape for a moment.

"Are you sure that you shouldn't go on instead of one of us?" Finnegan asked.

"What? No! No, you guys need to go on, really. I don't work for Morgan Holdings, so it would look weird for me to go on to speak on behalf of the company," Rory answered quickly.

"Alright, if you're sure. I'll meet you guys here at 4:15 then?" Finnegan asked.

"Perfect! That gives us a couple of hours," Rory responded quickly as she packed up her laptop and turned to take Finn's outstretched hand. He led her back to the still-waiting town car and asked the driver to take him to his apartment. He pulled Rory into his arms and kissed her soundly as the driver drove through the City.

"You were absolutely amazing today, kitten. I don't know what we would have done without you. Thank you," he told her quietly.

"I actually really enjoyed myself, believe it or not," Rory replied with a grin. "I never knew I could enjoy the corporate thing, but I guess working with media and public relations is a great fit."

"You're a natural, love," Finn replied as they stopped in front of his apartment. He led Rory from the car and grabbed their luggage from the trunk before letting her follow him into the elevator and up to his penthouse apartment.

"Wow, this place is gorgeous, Finn!" she mused as she took in the gorgeous view of the New York City skyline. Finn's apartment screamed comfortable and homey. He had pictures of his family and travels all over the place and the whole place looked comfortable and lived-in but gorgeous.

"Thank you," he replied as he dropped their bags and pulled her closer into his arms. "I've been wanting to get you alone all day long," he whispered in her ear as he kissed down her neck.

"Is me working a turn-on?" she teased.

"When you're that good at it, absolutely," Finn replied quickly. "So, tour of the apartment. Here's the living room and dining room, there's the kitchen, guest bathroom, guest bedroom, and my bedroom," he continued as he picked her up and carried her down the hall, dropping her carefully on his bed. "And here is my bed, which I must say you look ravishing in."

Finn laid down next to her and resumed kissing her neck and lips as his hands began roaming.

"Finn, we have to get you ready for the news, baby," she protested weakly.

"Give me half an hour and I'll get ready quicker than you can say "ABC News" ten times fast," he replied as he continued.

"Mmm...I guess I do need you nice and relaxed, right? I can't have you going on while you're stressed and tense," Rory smirked.

"Right you are, Miss Gilmore."


	21. Chapter 21

Rory watched with an overwhelming sense of pride and satisfaction as Finn and his dad handled the interview with ABC News with ease. They were poised and prepared and it couldn't have gone any better from her perspective. She had prepped them both in the car on the way to the studio and while they were waiting to go on, and everything had gone just as expected.

"You are amazing, kitten. We couldn't have done this without you," Finn told her as they walked off of the set and took their mics packs off.

"Finn's right, Rory. Thank you so much for all of your help with this today. If it's not too much trouble, I would love for you to stop by the office tomorrow morning. I'd love the opportunity to pick your brain about the direction you think we should go with our public and media relations; it will be good to get your perspective," Finnegan added.

"Are you sure? I'm not really sure I'm qualified, but I would be more than happy to give my input. I have an interview with the Times tomorrow at 1:00. Would 10:00 work?"

"That would be perfect. I'll have some other people there as well to hear what you have to say, if that's okay. I'll let you guys get on with your evening, and I'll see you both tomorrow," Finnegan answered as he hugged his son and kissed Rory's cheek.

Finn and Rory bid his dad goodbye and walked the few blocks back to Finn's apartment to change for the evening.

"I can't believe your dad wants my input on business," Rory mused out loud as she and Finn walked through the City.

"Believe it, love. You were incredible today; you earned the right to give that input," Finn beamed proudly.

"Well, I'm looking forward to it. I'll do some brainstorming and have some ideas for him. I really did enjoy myself today," she reiterated.

"I'm so glad, Ror," Finn replied as they entered his apartment building. Rory curled her hair and touched up her makeup before changing into a gorgeous silver halter-style dress that was reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe's famous white dress and silver heels that made her legs look miles long. She walked into the living room to find Finn there waiting for her after removing his jacket and tie and unbuttoning his top two buttons.

"I'm ready whenever you are," she told him as she entered the room. Finn had been reading the newspaper and looked up when he heard her voice and gave a low whistle.

"Damn, kitten. You look stunning. I am absolutely certain that I will be the envy of every man who sees you tonight," Finn exclaimed appreciatively.

"Thank you," Rory said with a blush. "Who all are we meeting tonight?"

"I'm not sure, honestly. I know that Colin and Steph will be there. I'm pretty certain that Rosemary, Juliet, Robert and Seth will also be there, and possibly Logan. I think there may be a few more LDB members as well."

"How many of them know that we're dating?" Rory asked.

"Other than Colin and Steph and Logan, no one that I know of. I don't really keep in contact with many of them, so they wouldn't have a way to know. Why?"

"I'm just thinking that this could be fun," Rory smirked.

"I like the way you think, love. Now, let's grab dinner before we meet everyone. I need to show off my gorgeous girlfriend."

Finn led Rory out to a waiting town car and they continued chatting about their week on the way to the restaurant. Finn insisted that he was taking her shopping for a new dress for the society gala birthday party despite Rory's objections and she finally relented just as they pulled up to the restaurant. Finn didn't miss the obvious appreciating looks toward his girlfriend as they walked into the restaurant, but Rory was completely oblivious to the effect that she had on men. Finn wondered to himself how in the world such a gorgeous woman could be so unaware of her beauty.

Finn and Rory enjoyed a quiet dinner together before taking the car to Trend, an exclusive nightclub owned by Morgan Holdings. They arrived to find Colin, Steph, Rosemary and Juliet already there at a table and quickly joined the group.

"Reporter Girl! It's great to see you again!" Colin greeted her warmly as he hugged her. "You look amazing."

"It's great to see you too, Colin," Rory returned to him as she hugged him.

At this point, all three girls were squealing and crowding Rory with hugs and exclamations over how incredible she looked.

"It's been way too long," Steph finally said as she let go of Rory.

"It really has; I've missed you all so much," Rory replied to the entire group.

The waitress came and took their drink orders and returned a few minutes later with a round of shots for everyone, scotch for the boys, and martinis for the girls. The girls drank up quickly and left the boys as they headed to the dance floor where they all danced together.

"How are things going with Rory?" Colin asked when they were alone at the table.

"Everything's great, mate. She's incredible. Did you see the stories about the incident that came out this afternoon and the segment on ABC News?"

"Yeah, they were fantastic. Someone did an amazing job of doing damage control and turning things around for you guys."

"Rory did it all, Colin," Finn said reverently, still awed at what his girlfriend had accomplished that day. "She heard Dad and I stumbling over what to do and she offered her expertise. She wrote the press release, called in favors, and handled everything."

"Wow," Colin said in awe. "She did really well, man. You guys were taking quite the beating in the press and on the stock exchange this morning, but the tide changed completely by this afternoon."

"I know, mate. My Dad was seriously impressed. He asked her to come in tomorrow morning and pitch him some more ideas for media and PR. I think he wants to offer her a job."

"How do you feel about that? Does she have any idea? I know she has her interview with the Times tomorrow," Colin asked.

"No, she has no idea. I'd be totally fine with her working there; I just want her to be happy. She blew us all away today; we would be stupid not to try to hire her," Finn said proudly as he saw Robert, Seth and Logan walk in the door and head toward their booth.

"Gentlemen," Finn greeted as he stood and patted his friends on the back. The group of friends exchanged hellos and settled back in the booth, ordering another round of drinks.

"Are the girls here yet?" Robert asked.

"Yeah, they're on the dance floor," Colin answered quickly as he pointed toward the group. The girls were laughing and dancing while turning down the continual parade of men who were trying to dance with them.

"Who's the fox in the silver dress? If her face looks anything like those legs I'm in." Robert asked, and Logan, Colin and Finn all chuckled at the look on his face.

"What? I'm just thinking she might like to go home with a real man tonight," Robert replied in his all-too-familiar creepy tone. "I bet you $1,000 that I can take her home tonight."

At this statement, Finn almost choked on his scotch. He was just about to say something when Logan spoke up.

"You really think you can take her home?" Logan asked Robert.

"No, I know I can. Just because these two idiots are tied to one woman doesn't mean I've lost my touch," he replied as he pointed to Colin and Finn.

"I'll have you know I haven't lost my touch; I only use it on one woman now," Finn retorted.

"That's what I keep hearing, but I don't see her anywhere," Robert replied sharply, and Logan elbowed Finn in the side as he started laughing.

"What the hell's so funny?" Robert asked angrily. "Tell you what, Aussie. I'll make it $2,000 and we can make it a competition to see who can get the girl."

Finn looked back and forth to Colin and Logan for a moment, trying to discern what he should do.

"I don't think that's such a great idea," Finn said quietly.

"What, too afraid you'll lose or your girlfriend will find out?" Robert sneered.

"Are you sure you want to make that bet, Grimaldi?" Finn finally asked, and Robert quickly held out his hand to shake and make it official. Finn shook his hand and nodded toward the group of girls. "After you, mate."

Robert quickly finished his scotch and turned back to the table momentarily.

"Watch and learn, boys," he said before walking off.

"Why do I have a feeling we're missing some important information here?" Seth asked.

"Probably because you are, but seeing as he's still the same jerk he's always been I'm going to let her take him down a notch."

"And who exactly is "her"?" Seth inquired.

"Rory Gilmore," Finn said with a gleam in his eye.

"Rory Gilmore? As in Logan's Rory? Are you guys back together?" Seth asked quickly.

"Nah, man. She and Finn have been seeing each other for about a month," Logan answered quietly, not making eye contact.

"And you're okay with that?" Seth followed up.

"Yeah, I am," Logan finally answered, looking up to make eye contact with Finn as he spoke. "They seem to be crazy about each other. I think in this case opposites really do attract."

At this confession, the entire group turned their attention to the dance floor to watch the show that was just beginning.

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Rory and the girls were laughing and dancing, having a great time together. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed being with these friends after not seeing them for so long, but it was as if no time had passed at all. The girls had all been turning away guys who were trying to dance with them the entire time, and she had to laugh to herself over how self-assured and over-confident some of them seemed. She was dancing with Steph when she felt unfamiliar arms wrap around her waist and she quickly moved them off, but this man didn't seem quite so easily deterred. She saw Steph chuckle and jut her chin out motioning to the man behind Rory and turned to see who it was.

"Robert?" Rory asked as she caught sight of him. She really couldn't say that she missed him; he really could be a jerk sometimes. He seemed to be stunned to see her there.

"Gilmore? Holy shit, you got hot," Robert said without thinking.

"I'm going to go ahead and say thanks even though I'm not sure that's actually a compliment," Rory said with a laugh.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Just catching up with the old gang," Rory said as she pointed to the girls behind her.

"Are you and Logan…" he trailed off.

"No, Logan and I are definitely still finished," Rory answered quickly.

"Well then, can I buy you a drink?" Robert asked, turning on the charm and sliding his arm around her shoulders.

"That's really not necessary, but thank you," Rory replied politely, trying to shrug his arm off. She could see Finn and the other guys laughing in the booth.

"I insist. A beautiful lady such as yourself deserves the company of a man like myself," Robert pushed.

 _God, he really is infuriating and full of himself,_ Rory thought to herself.

"Tell you what, you get me a scotch neat and a martini and I'll meet you back over at the table," Rory finally relented, and she almost recoiled after seeing the cocky look that came over his face.

"I knew you couldn't resist forever, Gilmore," he whispered in her ear as he turned toward the crowded bar to get their drinks. Rory quickly walked over to the guys at the table, the girls all following her to see how things played out.

"He's still an ass," Rory seethed as she walked up to the table.

"That he is, love," Finn chuckled. "He kept going on and on about how he knew he could take the fox in the silver dress home with him tonight."

"Me?!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, you. He wanted to bet $1,000 that he could do it."

"Tell me you didn't take the bet?" Rory asked.

"I didn't take that bet, kitten, but when he finally offered to make it $2,000 and a competition between the two of us I couldn't turn it down."

"You used your girlfriend to pad your own bank account?" she asked in shock.

"No, I'm letting him fall on his face and wiping that smug grin off of it and giving my girl the $2,000," Finn answered quickly.

"I love the way you think, Morgan," she answered with a sly smile as Robert was approaching the table.

"Your drinks, milady," Robert said as he handed her the scotch and martini. "I didn't realize you were a scotch drinker." Robert picked up his own drink and started to put his arm around Rory again and she rolled her eyes toward Finn.

"I'm really not a scotch drinker at all," Rory answered sweetly.

"Then why did you want it?" Robert puzzled.

"I just thought Finn might like it," she answered coyly as she handed Finn the scotch and sat down next to him.

"Finn? Why would you care what Finn wants to drink?" Robert asked out loud.

"Thank you, love," Finn told Rory as he sipped his scotch and watched Robert's face contort in anger.

"You're welcome," Rory cooed sweetly and she scooted closer to Finn.

"This isn't over, Morgan," Robert seethed at Finn.

"What, your little bet?" Rory asked innocently. "It's definitely over, Robert. I will not be going home with you tonight."

"Maybe not, but I don't see you going home with him either, so that means no one wins," Robert shot back.

"That's where you're wrong, Grimaldi. I actually am going home with him, just like I arrived with him, and just like I've spent half of my nights with him for the past month." Rory laughed as she watched Robert's jaw drop.

"Gilmore's your new girlfriend?" Robert asked incredulously.

"Rory's my new girlfriend," Finn repeated with a grin. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I'm going to dance with my girl. I'll collect on that bet that I tried to talk you out of when we return."

Finn offered his hand to Rory as they both got out of the booth and led her onto the dance floor, both of them still laughing over the look on Robert's face. Finn wrapped his arms around Rory's waist and pulled her flush to his body as they swayed together.

"That was epic, Finn," Rory gushed.

"I really did try to talk him out of it, love, but when he insisted I thought I might as well let you cut him down to size," Finn laughed.

"Oh, I definitely enjoyed it!" Rory answered with a giggle. The two danced together silently, Rory with her head on Finn's chest, as they got lost in their own little world.

"Logan actually said he's okay with us," Finn said quietly.

"He did?" Rory asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, he said that it's obvious that we're crazy about each other and that in our case opposites attract."

"Wow," Rory mused.

"Wow indeed, love," Finn answered quietly.

"So I guess we don't have to tiptoe around him anymore?" Rory asked.

"Nope, I think we're good."

"That's good, because I've been dying to do this," Rory replied as she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Finn passionately. They finally parted minutes later and both stood staring at each other, awestruck.

"Hey, Finn?" Rory asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"You said your company owns this place?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"Any chance you could kick the manager out of his office for a bit?" Rory asked as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"Why, love?"

"I need you and I alone in a private room with a locking door…" she purred.

"Say no more, kitten," Finn replied as he quickly pulled her toward the manager and then off to the office.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"How the hell did that happen?" Robert asked grumpily as he motioned toward Finn and Rory on the dance floor.

"They ran into each other about a month ago in Chicago. She was staying at one of his family hotels and he was there on business that week. They've been practically inseparable since. She's writing on the campaign trail with Barack Obama so she's constantly traveling, but they've spent two full weeks together and he's flown out to see her on the weekends," Logan answered.

"And you're good with this, man?" Robert asked.

"I wasn't at first, but I am now. It's obvious that they're great for each other. I've never seen her any happier," Logan answered wistfully.

"You're a better man that I am," Robert mused.

"We all already knew that," Colin said, and the entire group laughed.

The group continued talking as they watched Finn and Rory walk off of the dance floor and across the room, stopping to talk to someone before disappearing from their view.

"Where do you think those two are off to?" Juliet asked. "Rory's purse is still here, so I know they're not leaving."

"It's hard to say," Colin answered. "She brings out the quieter, more responsible side of him and he brings out the risk taker in her, so there's really no telling what they're doing."

The group continued to talk for the next twenty minutes, each of them often wondering where in the world their friends had disappeared to, when suddenly the pair returned to the table looking slightly disheveled and happily sated.

"Gilmore, you're looking freshly fu-," Seth began, and Finn quickly cut him off before he could finish.

"Don't even finish that sentence, mate," Finn said sternly as he and Rory slid into the booth.

"What? I'm just making an observation," Seth teased.

"Well, you can make it silently," Finn retorted.

"Just had to drag her away and prove your point?" Robert asked gruffly. Finn just rolled his eyes at him.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer," Finn replied.

"I will, though," Rory smirked. "No, he didn't have to drag me away and prove anything. That little interlude was all my idea."

With the tension broken and Rory reintroduced to their group, the rest of the night passed with laughter and catching up and promises of seeing each other soon.


	22. Chapter 22

Rory awoke in a wonderful mood on Wednesday morning. She was still feeling the happy effects of the great time out with the old gang the previous evening, the tentative blessing from Logan, and the thrill of getting being so in her element the previous day in Finn's office. She felt a thrill that she had rarely felt when chasing a story as she took charge and put her skills to work, and she was excited to get to pitch more ideas today. Add in her interview at the Times and waking up in the arms of her amazing boyfriend and she was on cloud nine.

She slipped out of bed, kissing Finn good morning to wake him up as she got up, started the coffee maker and skipped into the bathroom to get in the shower. She was beyond excited for the day. She showered quickly and dried and curled her hair before putting on her suit and dress shirt and a bit of mascara.

"Finn, are you ready?" she called from the bathroom. Finn suddenly appeared next to her with a package of Pop-Tarts and a travel mug full of coffee.

"I'm ready, love. Thought you might want some breakfast and coffee for the ride."

"You really are the perfect man, you know that?" Rory cooed back at him. "Now, let's get moving, mister!"

Finn chuckled at Rory's excitement and followed her out of his apartment and down to the waiting town car that would take them to his offices. Traffic was fairly light, given that rush hour was over, and they enjoyed light conversation, Pop-Tarts and coffee together on the short ride.

"Are you ready for this, kitten?" Finn asked as they pulled up in front of the building.

"Yep, definitely ready! I have some ideas that I think they'll love," Rory mused excitedly.

"I'm sure that they will, Ror. Alright, here we go," Finn replied as he took her hand and led her into the offices and to the elevator. They exited on the top floor and walked to Finn's dad's office to say good morning.

"Morning, Pops," Finn greeted him.

"Morning, Finn, and good morning to you as well, Rory. I have a group gathered in the conference room; we are all excited to get a fresh perspective on what we should be doing from a media and PR perspective."

"Well, I'm excited to share my ideas with you all," Rory replied excitedly. "I'm so grateful that you guys want to hear my suggestions."

"Trust me, you're not nearly as grateful as we are," Finnegan chuckled.

The group of three proceeded to the conference room where there was already a group of about a dozen people assembled. Rory followed Finn and his dad through the door and quietly took the seat that Finn pulled out for her. He settled in next to her and took her hand under the table, giving it a comforting squeeze as she started to fidget. She relaxed at his touch and met his eyes with a grateful smile.

"You're going to knock 'em dead, kitten," Finn whispered in her ear.

"I want to thank you all for clearing your schedules this morning," Finnegan began and the room quieted down instantly. "As you all know, we had quite a situation on our hands yesterday, and we were taking a beating in the media. We were in a very precarious position since we are currently without a Media and Public Relations Director. Miss Rory Gilmore took pity on us and lent her expertise in order to handle the situation, and by the end of the day our stock prices were higher than they began the day and the media was painting us in a much more positive light. I asked her to come this morning to share her perspective on what we should do from a media and PR standpoint in order to better Morgan Holdings. Rory?"

"Wow, thank you so much for that kind introduction, Mr. Morgan. I enjoyed getting to put my education and contacts to work in order to help neutralize the situation. I have a few ideas that I think would be positive changes for Morgan Holdings and would help keep up the momentum that we began yesterday."

Rory went on to detail her suggestions for the company, from using social media to market and interact with the public to leveraging the popularity of some of the nation's top bloggers to re-branding their logo to her personal favorite, launching a print magazine.

"The print magazine, which I am proposing naming Excursion, would be an excellent opportunity to highlight Morgan Holdings properties, popular destinations where you have hotels and entertainment options, review local attractions and restaurants, and get people excited to travel the world while staying at your properties. If it's done properly, advertising income will completely offset the expense of the magazine. Excursion would become the premier source for travel information."

"Wow, that's very impressive, Rory," Finnegan stated as she finished her pitch. "You've definitely given us a lot to think about. I must say, I've never been so excited to consider owning a magazine," he continued as he chuckled.

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Morgan," Rory said with a blush.

"I do believe you have another appointment soon, no? You and Finn are welcome to head out, and the rest of us will discuss the ideas that you've introduced to us."

Finn and Rory quickly excused themselves from the room and Finn walked her down to the waiting town car. He gave her a kiss and told her how proud he was of her before wishing her good luck and sending her off to her interview with the Times. He then returned to the conference room to rejoin the discussion on the ideas that they'd just heard from his amazing girlfriend and wait for her to return from her interview.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory emerged from her interview at the Times slightly dazed and quite confused. She had a short-term employment offer in her hand, and she should be thrilled, but for some unknown reason she wasn't. Their Arts and Entertainment reporter was going on maternity leave for a year, and she had been offered the position during that time. The pay was decent and the Times had always been the goal. Why wasn't she on top of the world? Was it because after writing about the Presidential campaign, arts and entertainment seemed like fluff? Rory was pulled from her thoughts when the car stopped in front of Finn's office. She exited the town car quickly and took the elevator up to Finn's office, stopping at his secretary's desk.

"Hi, Caroline. Is Finn in?"

"He is, Miss Gilmore," Caroline said with a smile. She was a grandmotherly woman with a kind face.

"May I?" Rory asked, pointing to Finn's office.

"Of course. He's already given me strict instructions that you are always welcome," Caroline chuckled. "Between you and me, I think you're great for him."

"That's so sweet," Rory replied with a blush. "He's great for me as well. We seem to balance each other out." Rory excused herself and walked to Finn's office, knocking on the door.

"Come in," came the voice she'd grown to love hearing.

"Hey," Rory greeted Finn as she dropped into the chair across from his desk and set her bag down. Finn was immediately concerned about how down she seemed in contrast to earlier this morning.

"How'd your interview go, kitten? You don't look too happy," Finn asked as he rose and came over to kneel next to her.

"It went great, actually. I have a job offer."

"Then why don't you look happier, Ror? The Times was the dream, right?"

"Yeah, it was. It's just...I don't know, really. I should be ecstatic. It's an offer for a short term contract to cover arts and entertainment while their reporter is on maternity leave. For some reason I'm not, though."

"Come here, love," Finn said as he stood and pulled her into his arms. "You'll find something that excites you, maybe even sooner than you think," he continued cryptically.

"I know I want to be here in the City, so maybe I should just take it and keep looking," Rory said quietly.

"Or maybe you should come with me to talk to my dad and then we should go shopping while you consider your job offers," Finn answered as he kissed her temple.

"I only have one job offer, Finn, but the rest of the plan sounds good."

"Alright, let's go, kitten." Finn led Rory into his dad's office.

"Hey, Dad. Rory's back. I know you wanted to talk with her," Finn greeted his dad, and the two of them sat down across from Finnegan's desk..

"Rory, glad you're back. How did the interview go?" Finnegan asked.

"Oh, it went well. I have a job offer to consider, so now I just need to decide what I want to do."

"That's excellent. I know Finn is very proud of you. Listen, I hate to muddy the water for you, but I wanted to talk to you as well before you accept the offer from the Times."

"Okay, sure," Rory said quietly, obviously confused. Finnegan picked up a folder from his desk before continuing.

"I know that I've already thanked you for everything that you did yesterday, but I don't think you fully understand just what you accomplished. Without your expertise and connections, we certainly would have continued to take a beating, but as it is our stock price is strong and bookings are up. The people in the meeting this morning were actually our board members. They wanted to meet the incredible young lady who turned things around for us yesterday. Just hear me out before you say anything, please," Finnegan instructed as he saw that Rory was about to interject.

"Finn has explained to me how strongly you feel about making your own way in your career and not being handed opportunities because of who you are or who you know, and I want to reassure you that this job opportunity is well-earned. The board and I have put together an offer for you that we would like you to take a look at and give serious consideration to. I also want you to understand that while Finn is on board with this offer, it was not his suggestion. This was my doing, and he refrained from taking part in discussions with the board on the subject so that he didn't unfairly influence anyone."

Finnegan stopped talking for a moment, observing Rory's shocked expression with amusement. He slid the folder across the desk to her.

"Take your time and look at the job offer before you make any decisions. We're offering you the position as Director of Media and Public Relations. Trust me when I say that we've interviewed many candidates, and none are as qualified or as capable as you are. Finn has my number; give me a call when you've made a decision. This offer remains on the table until we hear back from you, so please don't stress over rushing. We all know that you have another month on your contract with Mr. Grey."

Finn watched Rory sit there speechless and chuckled at her.

"I think she's a bit shocked, Dad. I'll take her to my office to look over the offer and we'll head out after that," Finn told his father.

"I'm sure she is shocked; she didn't even know that this was a possibility. You two enjoy the rest of your week, and happy birthday, Rory," Finnegan replied. Everyone said their goodbyes and Finn and Rory walked back to his office, shutting the door behind them. Finn sat Rory on the couch and sat down next to her.

"I know that this is all a shock, love, but you earned every bit of it. I need you to understand that, okay?"

"Sure," Rory replied uncertainly, finally gathering her wits again. She gingerly opened the folder and began looking through it.

"Holy...this is...what?!" she exclaimed as she took in the information. "This is too much, Finn!"

"No, this is exactly right, Ror. This is what we paid our last guy, and he wasn't nearly as capable."

"But that's six figures, Finn!"

"It is, darling," Finn chuckled. "This is an executive position. You would handle all of our media and public relations, including the new magazine that you proposed. I think that idea excited the board the most. You would interview and hire your staff for the department and the magazine. The salary is quite appropriate for the position and responsibilities."

"I just...wow. I mean, I should be mad at you for not telling me what was really going on this morning, but I can't bring myself to be because I'm actually blown away and really excited."

"So you just went from dejected and let down with the Times offer to really excited by ours?" Finn asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I really did. Wow. I'm going to live in New York. This is really happening, Finn!" Rory exclaimed.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Ror? You can take your time with the offer. I don't want you to feel pressured into anything just because it's an offer from us."

"I'm completely sure, Finn. I couldn't put my finger on why I wasn't excited about the offer from the Times, but when I saw this I just knew."

"No need for a pro/con list?"

"Nope, I haven't needed a pro/con list since I started seeing you, and believe me when I say that's miraculous," Rory chuckled.

"Well, shall we grab a late lunch and go shopping for a stunning dress that will make me want to drag you off to a secluded corner all night at your birthday party?" Finn smirked.

"Let's go talk to your dad first. I'm absolutely certain about this," Rory replied, once again on cloud nine.

"Let's go, kitten!"

They walked to Finnegan's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Finnegan's voice. Rory and Finn walked in as he looked up. "Well, I expected you two to be headed out. What can I do for you?"

"I looked over the offer, and while I'm still a bit floored by it, I want to accept. I am so thankful for this opportunity," Rory gushed.

"You do?" Finnegan asked excitedly. "I must admit, I thought it would take more convincing and thought."

"Yes, I'm certain. I'm quite excited about this new chapter."

"Well, welcome aboard, Rory. We are absolutely thrilled to have you. Have Finn show you your office on the way out. I'll have HR forward all of your new hire paperwork to you and you can fax it back or send it with Finn next week."

"I will do that, Finnegan. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity."

"It's our pleasure. Now, you two go enjoy your afternoon; I know you don't get to see each other as often as you'd like right now," Finnegan said.

Finn grabbed Rory's hand and led her out of his dad's office into the office next to his. Rory's jaw dropped when she saw the beautiful view of Manhattan and how spacious the office was.

"Is this…" Rory trailed off.

"This is your office, kitten," Finn said with pride.

"Wow. I expected a cubicle or maybe a small office, but this is beautiful," Rory said as she ran her hands over the cherry desk and bookcases.

"Well, a beautiful office for our beautiful new Director," Finn replied as he kissed her. "Here, I'll introduce you to your secretary." Finn led Rory out her door to the large cubicle right outside of it.

"Amy, I'd like to introduce you to Rory Gilmore. Rory is our new Director of Media and Public Relations. Rory, this is your secretary, Amy Bates."

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss Gilmore. I've heard nothing but good things about you based on yesterday's activities and the starry-eyed look on Finn's face for the last month," Amy greeted her as she extended her hand.

"Please, call me Rory. I'm not formal at all. It's nice to meet you as well, Amy. As for this one standing next to me, the feeling is quite mutual," Rory returned as she shook Amy's extended hand.

"Amy, we'll have her new e-mail set up by the end of the day, and I'll forward you her contact information, but she won't actually begin here until mid-November or so. I just wanted to introduce you on our way out," said Finn.

Finn and Rory left Morgan HQ and proceeded to their afternoon of lunch and shopping, both feeling like things were coming together in their lives.


	23. Chapter 23

Rory and Finn awoke back at the Dragonfly on Friday morning, both still tired from the previous evening. They had celebrated Rory's birthday in grand Stars Hollow fashion with a party in the town square. The entire town had shown up to celebrate Rory turning 25. The night was filled with friends, neighbors, laughter, enough alcohol to serve the entire Life and Death Brigade, and the sounds of Hep Alien playing on the makeshift stage in front of the gazebo. It had been a wonderfully fun night. Finn had interacted with the people of Stars Hollow with ease, quickly earning acceptance from the residents of the quirky hamlet.

They had decided earlier in the week to enjoy a decidedly relaxed and quiet Friday morning and afternoon, knowing that Friday evening was going to be crazy with the society hoopla that went with a double heiress turning 25. Rory's family had always done their best to keep her out of the media spotlight, but her reprieve would end tonight when it was announced that she was the Hayden heiress. Most people had assumed that it would be Chris or Gigi, but after they had finally reconciled Francine had decided to name Rory as their successor.

"Good morning, love," Finn whispered huskily as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her.

"Morning, baby. You know, spending an entire week with you spoils me. I'm not going to know what to do next week when I have to go back to work without you," Rory replied as she nuzzled his neck contentedly.

"Me either, love, but we're down to just a few weeks left and then you'll be in the City with me. Are you ready for tonight?"

"I'm ready as I'm going to be," Rory sighed. "I don't know how you deal with the craziness that comes with being an heir to a multi-billion dollar corporation."

"I'll be there every step of the way, Ror. You won't have to do any of this by yourself, okay?"

"Thank you, Finn. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. I know it's only been a month, but in some ways I can't remember life before you."

"I feel the same way, kitten. Now, let's go hop in the shower together and then we'll go grab breakfast downstairs. I hear Sookie has something delicious planned for you. This entire day is all about you relaxing."

"Well, when you put it that way, who am I to argue? You know, there is that one thing that you do quite well that makes me feel quite relaxed…" Rory trailed off as she got up and walked to the bathroom, throwing a wink over her shoulder.

"I'm at your service, doll," Finn smirked as he followed her into the bathroom.

Neither one seemed to be able to get enough of the other one, and he loved it that way. He loved spending every possible moment with the amazing woman standing in the shower waiting for him, whether they were talking over a cup of coffee, she was writing a story, or they were doing something that would undoubtedly merit a "dirty" from Lorelai. She had intrigued him for years, and he couldn't help but feel as though he would never retrieve his heart from Rory Gilmore. Strangely enough, that thought brought him nothing but immense happiness and peace. If this was what it felt like to begin falling in love, sign him up.

The couple emerged in the dining room an hour later, relaxed, happy and completely satisfied by their morning romp in the shower. Sookie had prepared a feast for the morning, making bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, waffles and hash browns, along with copious amounts of coffee. Neither Finn nor Rory saw Sookie and Lorelai watching them as they ate breakfast together.

"She looks really happy, Lor," Sookie observed.

"She is, Sook. I've never seen her like this."

"What do you think of the Aussie?" Sookie asked.

"He's great for her. He takes such good care of her, and she actually lets him. It seemed to bother her with other guys in the past, but she enjoys letting him do it. I've never seen her so relaxed and content."

"You're totally right. I think they're great together, too. Has Rory asked for your opinion of him?"

"Yeah, she actually did when he flew me out to Des Moines for a few days to spend time with them," Lorelai answered.

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that I thought my baby girl had gone on her last first date. I think he's the one, Sookie," Lorelai whispered, fighting back tears as she realized just how much her baby girl was growing up. "I mean, look at him. He obviously thinks that she hung the moon, he supports her dreams, he doesn't expect her to change for him, and he fits in here in the Hollow as well as he fits in society."

"Do you think either of them realize that they're in love yet?" Sookie asked as she continued to observe the couple.

"I think they're starting to," Lorelai answered slowly. "I give it six months until they're engaged."

"I'd offer a wager, but I think you're right," Sookie giggled.

Finn and Rory relaxed for the rest of the afternoon, spending time talking over coffee, lounging on the grounds of the inn to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather, and cuddling together in their room. Finn asked Sookie to send up a light early dinner for them, knowing full well that Rory would be pulled in a million different directions tonight at the gala and that she should eat something before they leave, and they enjoy their last few minutes of peace together before they have to get ready for all of the chaos. Rory commandeers the bathroom in their room and showers before drying and curling her hair and applying her makeup. She slips into the dress that Finn had picked out for her while they were shopping in New York and walks out of the bathroom to find him.

"Can you zip me up, Finn?" she asks as she walks out of the bathroom. He's facing away from her and his breath hitches as he sees her.

"You look amazing, love," he whispers as he walks over to her and zips her up.

"Well, I should hope you'd think so. After all, you picked out my dress," she teases back at him. "Help me pick out my jewelry?" she asks as she walks over to her jewelry box. Finn simply walks up behind her and takes a Tiffany blue box out of his pocket, holding it in front of her.

"Oh no you don't, mister! You already bought me this dress. It's too much," Rory refused stubbornly.

"You don't even know what's in there yet, kitten. It could be from a Cracker Jack box," Finn pouts.

"I highly doubt it!"

"Look, let's make a deal right now, Ror. You know that I don't ever have to worry about money, right?"

She just nods slowly to him.

"And do you realize how much you're worth as of today?"

"Not really," Rory answers quietly.

"I don't know either, but it will all be revealed tonight. Let's just leave it at saying that you'll never have to worry about money either, right?"

"Sure, that sounds about right."

"So let's agree right now that while we're not together because of the money, we'll both happily accept it when the other spends money on us, okay? I know you love being independent, and I love that about you, but I also love taking care of you."

"Okay," Rory answers firmly.

"Okay? Really?"

"Really!" Rory giggles. "Now, how about that present?"

She takes the box from Finn and opens it, finding a gorgeous Tiffany T-Drop necklace and matching earrings.

"Oh my...it's...wow," Rory whispered as she took in the gorgeous gift.

"You like it?" Finn asks hesitantly.

"Oh no, I love it, Finn. It's absolutely stunning," she answers reverently.

"Well then, I chose well. Stunning jewelry for my stunning girlfriend. May I?" he asked as he took the necklace from her and removed it from the box. She turned and held her hair off of her neck and Finn fastened the necklace around her neck. She put on the earrings and turned to look at Finn.

"How's it look?"

"You look ravishing, darling," Finn answered softly. "Now, let's get Cinderella her shoes and get to the party!"

Finn retrieved her shoes from next to the bed and knelt down to slip them on her feet and then rose and pulled her close to him.

"Look at me, Ror," he commanded softly as he held her. "I know that tonight isn't your thing, and I know that you don't like being in the spotlight. I'm not leaving your side. Let me take care of you, okay?"

Rory wiped a small tear from her eye as she looked up at this man who she cared for so much.

"God, Finn. How did I ever get this lucky?" she asked rhetorically.

"I'd say we're both lucky, love. Now, shall we?" he asked as he offered his arm.

"We shall," she chuckled.

The pair walked out of their room to the stairs of the inn, immediately spotting Sookie, Michel and Lorelai standing at the bottom watching her.

"Wow, kids. You two look amazing together," Lorelai said as she saw them. "Hold it there for a couple of pictures. This night deserves to be documented."

Finn and Rory smiled and posed for the pictures, knowing that they would deal with much worse from the press and Emily Gilmore at the event, and then set off in Finn's limo for the Gilmore estate.


	24. Chapter 24

Rory relaxed in Finn's arms on the short ride to the gala in honor of her 25th birthday. She was relishing these few moments of calm before the insanity of this evening began in earnest. While she had certainly been to more than her fair share of society events, this would be the first one that was thrown in her honor since her 16th birthday, and that couldn't even begin to compare to tonight. She sighed and scooted even closer to Finn as they pulled up in front of the mansion.

"I so don't want to do this, Finn," Rory whispered as they pulled up.

"I know you don't, love, but I'll be here every step of the way, okay? Everything's going to be fine. Now, the vultures are waiting to photograph the girl of the hour. Are you ready?"

"Almost," Rory answered with a sly smile.

"Almost, kitten?"

"Yeah, you have to kiss me first," she replied with a wink.

"Well, in that case…" Finn trailed off. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, nibbling on her lower lip and continuing until she was breathless. "All better?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Rory answered dreamily with her eyes still closed. "If I get overwhelmed tonight just do that again and I'll be good."

"That's a deal, love. Now, let's get this show on the road." Finn stepped out of the limo to flashing cameras and rushed questions. He was enough of a draw for the media on his own, but when you added in the fact that he was dating Rory it was even more of a draw. They would certainly both be major targets after the additional announcement that she was the Hayden heir tonight. He turned to the limo and took Rory's extended hand, helping her out of the limo and wrapping his arm around her waist in order to steady her on her feet and pose for the cameras.

"Mr. Morgan, how long have you and Miss Gilmore been dating?" "Miss Gilmore, who are you wearing tonight?" "Mr. Morgan, Miss Gilmore, is this an arranged relationship?"

The questions being shot at them in rapid-fire fashion were dizzying. They began their walk down the red carpet that her grandparents had rolled out the the evening hand-in-hand, trying their best to ignore the shouts of the paparazzi around them. After about the tenth yelled question about whether or not their relationship was a business arrangement Rory stopped in her tracks and turned to Finn. She reached up and took his face in her hands gently and kissed him. It was a sweet, lingering kiss that spoke volumes to those who saw it about how much the pair cared for each other. They finished their walk into the mansion without any further questions about the legitimacy of their relationship and finally entered the relative peace of the estate.

"Rory, there you are!" Emily cried as they walked in. "You look wonderful, dear! Now, who is this handsome gentleman with you this evening?"

"Grandma, it's good to see you. As you're well aware, this is Finn Morgan. Finn, my grandma, Emily Gilmore."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Gilmore," Finn greeted Emily as he kissed her hand.

"Please, call me Emily," Emily demurred in response. "Now, Rory, everyone is in the study to sign the official papers. Right this way," she instructed.

Rory grabbed Finn's hand and pulled her along with him, holding on for dear life.

"This will be the easiest part of the night and I'm still nervous," Rory whispered in his ear.

"Take a deep breath, love. We'll make it through the night together," Finn reassured her.

They entered the room to see Richard and Emily, Francine Hayden, and Christopher Hayden.

"Rory, lovely to see you," Richard boomed.

"Grandpa!" Rory cried as she hugged him tightly. "It's so good to see you!" Rory then crossed the room to the Haydens. "Dad! I've missed you!" Rory greeted her father with a hug. "And Grandma Francine, it's wonderful to see you!" she said as she moved to hug her. She returned to Finn's side.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Finn Morgan. Finn, I believe you've met everyone, although it's probably been a while. Richard Gilmore, Francine Hayden, and Christopher Hayden," Rory pointed to everyone as she said their names.

"It's lovely to see you all," Finn greeted politely.

"Don't they just make a beautiful couple, Francine?" Emily purred.

"Indeed they do, Emily," Francine said by way of approval.

"Now, Rory, we must get down to business before our guests arrive," Richard directed. "There are some papers that require your signature and you'll be all set."

Richard walked Rory through the legal paperwork that needed to be signed in order to make everything official. She signed the paperwork with a shaky hand as her Richard turned each page, but suddenly she dropped the pen as they got to the last page.

"Grandpa, this says…" Rory trailed off in shock.

"Is everything okay, dear?" Richard asked in confusion.

Rory just stared blankly ahead, not processing what was in front of her, and Finn was beginning to get worried about her. He knelt down in front of her and held her face in his hands gently.

"Ror, look at me, love. Are you okay?" Finn asked as he deliberately made eye contact with her. When she didn't answer he lightly kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her lips, and that seemed to do the trick.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just...look," Rory instructed him as she pointed at the papers in front of her. Finn picked them up and read them quickly.

"I'm guessing you had no idea that it was that much?"

"Not a clue," Rory replied blankly.

"Hey, this doesn't change anything, okay? You're still you, and I'm still me. You can continue living your life just like you were and let the money collect interest if you want to. Everything is going to be just fine," Finn soothed her as he ran his finger over her cheek.

"Yeah, you're right. I just didn't expect that. I mean, that's more money than I could ever possibly spend."

"Why don't you sign the last of the papers and we'll go get you a drink to take the edge off of your nerves, kitten."

"Sure," Rory replied as she absentmindedly took the pen and signed the last paper.

"Very well," Richard boomed. "It's all set now. Here is your new driver's license and passport with your hyphenated last name as well as your new American Express black card and your bank account documents and cards. I do believe you're all set now, Rory. We're all quite proud of you, my dear. You've an amazing young woman," Richard continued with watery eyes.

"Aw, Grandpa! Thank you. That really means the world. I have an announcement to make to our family later tonight regarding what I'm going to be doing after the campaign trail, so please make sure that you don't leave until I've gotten to talk with everyone. I want to wait until Mom and Luke are here, too." Rory hugged her grandparents and father before putting her new documents in her clutch, taking Finn's hand, and walking out of the study.

"Let's find that martini, Finn. I definitely need a bit of liquid courage to get through this night."

"As you wish, my love," Finn replied. They walked to the bar and ordered a scotch for Finn and a martini for Rory. Rory took a few sips and a deep breath before turning to Finn.

"I could really use another one of those kisses right now, Finn," she whispered as she looked around the room that was quickly filling with people.

"That I can do, my love," Finn whispered in her ear as his lips met hers in a tender embrace.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What do we know about the Morgan boy?" Emily asked as soon as Finn and Rory had walked out of the study, leaving the other four adults alone.

"He's a fine businessman, Emily, and the Morgans are a good family," Richard piped up.

"He certainly seems to be in love with our granddaughter," Francine added.

"In love? They've only been seeing each other for a month, Mother," Christopher retorted.

"Yes well, I know what I see, and the man is clearly in love with Rory. Did you see how he just knew what she needed and how she responded to him? Mark my words, that's the man your daughter will marry," Francine replied.

"Marry?!" Chris sputtered.

"Yes, marry," Emily chimed in. "Can't you just see the grandchildren? They will be gorgeous. They'll certainly have both Rory's and Finn's brunette hair and blue eyes."

"Indeed, Emily. They will be stunning children," Richard added.

"Wow, I guess I need to adjust to this," Chris said quietly.

"Surely you must have known she would get married at some point," Emily snapped. "After all, Logan proposed to her."

"He did, but I didn't see him being the one for her. I think you're all right, though. He looks at her like she hung the moon."

"Well, if I know one thing about Rory it's that she doesn't like to be pushed into anything. Let's not press them; I think those two will get there all on their own without any interference from us," Emily instructed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finn was Rory's salvation during the huge society gala. He made sure she ate, he kept her in drinks while assuring that she didn't get tipsy, he introduced her to everyone who wanted to say hello and wish her well, and he kept her calm. She had no doubt that she couldn't make it through the night without him. The big announcements would be made in just a few minutes and she was starting to get tense, which Finn apparently noticed immediately.

"Let's step outside for a few minutes, love," Finn prodded as he felt her tense. She nodded her assent and he led her out into the gardens before finding a bench. He sat quickly and pulled her into his lap where she promptly melted into his warm body. They sat there silently, Finn gently rubbing Rory's back and kissing her forehead occasionally, and he felt her begin to relax in his arms. Finally, after several minutes, he broke the silence.

"You've done an amazing job in there tonight, kitten. You've held your own with the DAR ladies and the businessmen. I don't know anyone else who can do that as well as you."

"Thank you, Finn. I seriously couldn't make it through this night without you. You've been my rock," Rory replied sweetly as she kissed him.

"I love being there for you, Ror. You've become so important to me this last month."

"I'm so glad, Finn. This just feels so right; you are one of the most important people in my life, too."

"Chicago was good to us, eh, love?" Finn chuckled as he kissed her on the nose. "Now, your adoring public awaits. Let's get in there and finish out this party so we can make this announcement and tell your family about your new job offer. My mum and dad should be in there somewhere as well. I know they were going to be late, but they wanted to be here to support you and my mum is dying to meet you."

The couple reluctantly walked back into the Gilmore home and were immediately swept back up in the sea of well-wishers and business associates of the Gilmore and Hayden families. Finn spotted his parents and led Rory over to them to say hello before the announcements were made.

"Mum, Dad, so happy you guys could make it tonight," he greeted as he hugged them both and kissed his mom on the cheek. "Mum, I'd like to introduce you to my amazing girlfriend and the woman of the evening, Rory Gilmore-Hayden. Rory, this is my mum, Amelia."

"Oh, it's so lovely to meet you, Rory," Amelia gushed. "I've heard so much about you two from these two. We are so delighted to have you on board with the family business as well. You did an amazing job helping out this week."

"It's wonderful to meet you as well, Amelia. Finn has told me so much about you guys. I'm delighted to start the next chapter in the City working for Morgan Holdings."

"Please, don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything at all to help with the transition or the move."

"Mum, Dad, we'll catch you guys before you leave. I see Rory's grandparents preparing to make the announcements. She's telling her family about the job and her move after tonight's event if over, and we would love for you guys to be there as well."

Finn led Rory off to the front of the room to join her grandparents and wrapped her in his arms again.

"You're almost finished, love. Everyone in this room has been impressed with you tonight, and we're on the downhill side of this event. Just take deep breaths and relax. I'm right here," he finished as he kissed her on the forehead.

Before she knew it, Richard was tapping his glass with his knife to silence the room.

"We are delighted that you all could join us this evening to celebrate the 25th birthday of our granddaughter, Rory Gilmore-Hayden. She is an amazing young woman, and I speak for her entire family when I say that we are all incredibly proud of her. Emily and I are delighted to announce that as of today, Rory is the legal heiress to the Gilmore Insurance Group. We feel quite confident in the future of our family business with Rory at the helm. And now, I would like to turn the floor over to Francine and Christopher Hayden."

"Thank you, Richard," Francine began. "Strobe and I spoke quite extensively regarding the legacy of the Hayden family prior to his passing, and we share in the pride that Richard and Emily feel regarding Rory. She is an extraordinary young woman, and I have no doubt that she will accomplish amazing things in her life. We are delighted to announce that Rory is also the legal heiress to the Hayden Law Group. I know that Rory will continue to make us proud and foster the business that generations before have worked hard to establish and grow. To Rory!"

The entire room toasted Rory as flashes went off all over the room, capturing the momentous announcement that Rory Gilmore-Hayden was of the bluest of blood and the sole heiress of two of the most wealthy, highly-esteemed families in Hartford. A select group of reporters and photographers had been invited inside the event in order to publicize the announcements. Rory hesitantly stepped forward after looking to Finn for encouragement.

"Thank you all so much for celebrating with me tonight. I am humbled and honored that my grandparents on both my mom and dad's sides of the family have entrusted me with this honor, and I look forward to continuing their legacies for many years to come. Now, let us eat cake!"

Laughter was heard around the room as Rory finished and she took a deep breath as people turned their attention back to their conversations.

"You did wonderfully, love. Let's get you some cake," Finn said as he led her over to the beautiful cake that Sookie had prepared just for this occasion. They enjoyed their cake and Rory relaxed knowing that she had done her part for the evening.

"May I have this dance, Miss Gilmore?" Finn asked after they had finished their cake.

"I would be delighted, Mr. Morgan," Rory giggled as she took his offered hand and led her onto the dance floor. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist as she snaked hers around her neck and laid her head on his shoulder. They swayed in silence, neither feeling the need to break the intimate moment with words, and simply enjoyed being so close to each other.

Across the room, Finnegan and Amelia were watching the couple.

"He's in love," Amelia observed.

"That he is, my dear. He may not realize it yet, but he most certainly is. He looks at her just like I look at you," Finnegan answered as he pulled his wife closer by wrapping one arm around her waist.

"I think we should tell him soon that your mom left him her engagement and wedding rings, don't you?"

"I think you're right. How do you feel about all of this, my dear?" Finnegan asked.

"I couldn't have chosen better myself. She's stunning, witty, intelligent, and very ambitious. She's the very epitome of a Morgan."

"That she is, my dear," Finnegan replied.

The evening finally wound down about an hour later, and the Gilmores, Morgans and Haydens all gathered together after the last of the guests had left. Before Rory could even begin the conversation about her announcement, her grandfather was talking with Finn's father.

"Finnegan, that was quite a difficult situation that your company endured earlier this week, but I must say, your PR person did an incredible job of handling things. Whomever is responsible for handling the media and public is quite talented. I would be tempted to try to steal them away to work for me," Richard chuckled.

"She is indeed quite talented, Richard. She's young, innovative and poised," Finnegan replied as he saw Finn and Rory laugh quietly across the room.

"Who is this young talent?" Richard asked. Finn cleared his throat to redirect attention.

"I believe that Rory had an announcement for you all, and then perhaps you can continue your conversation after that," Finn said proudly.

"Yes, I wanted to let you all know that after receiving a few job offers for after the campaign trail, I have accepted one offer and know where I will be settling," Rory began.

"Don't keep Mommy waiting!" Lorelai exclaimed eagerly.

Finn and Rory exchanged a look and Finn continued for her.

"That young, innovative, poised young woman who handled the media for us on Tuesday is none other than the beautiful woman standing next to me. Rory came to the office with me when I got the phone call and upon seeing how lost Dad and I were in handling things, she went straight to work. She did such a wonderful job that she met with the board the next day to pitch some ideas and we made her an offer." At this point Finn stopped and squeezed Rory's hand.

"I have several offers on the table from smaller newspapers as well as the Times, but I've accepted the offer from Morgan Holdings. I will be starting next month as their Director of Media and Public Relations and Editor-in-Chief of their new travel magazine. I'll be settling in New York."

"My baby's going to be within driving distance!" Lorelai exclaimed happily.

The entire group congratulated Rory and also congratulated Finnegan and Finn on such a fine addition to their executive staff. Richard offered a toast to Rory's success in the next chapter of her life and finally, after what seemed like an endless evening, Rory and Finn walked out to the waiting limo to go back to Stars Hollow for some much-needed rest.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Reading you guys' reviews and comments totally makes my week! Thank you so much for reading what I write and giving me feedback. I'd love to hear any ideas you all have for this story or any suggestions for future stories as well. You guys rock!**

Rory and Finn had purposely made no plans for Saturday. They were both looking forward to sleeping in and spending a quiet day together before she had to return to the campaign trail on Sunday. Unfortunately, their plans didn't stand a chance against the craziness that was lurking in wait on that fall Saturday.

Rory's ringing phone woke the pair shortly after 8:00 in the morning. She felt around the nightstand with her eyes still closed and looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and she promptly ignored it. Not even five minutes later her phone rang again, this time her mom.

"Mom, it's early," Rory groaned.

"I know, sweets. I'm so sorry to wake you, but it's important. The press is all over the Hollow. Pictures of you and Finn are in every newspaper in the area along with the story about your newly-minted status. You guys are going to want to keep a low profile, okay?"

"Wow, I can't believe it's that newsworthy. Okay, we'll hole up in the room for the day. I'm going to try to get some more sleep, but I'll talk to you later, Mom. I love you," Rory replied.

"Love you, too, kiddo. I'll see you before you leave."

Rory hung up and rolled back over into Finn's waiting arms.

"Everything okay, kitten?" Finn asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Apparently the press is camped out all over town because of the announcements made last night," Rory complained.

"I'm so sorry, Ror. We'll enjoy a quiet day in, okay?"

"That sounds wonderful," Rory murmured as she closed her eyes with every intention of drifting off to sleep again. Once again, it wasn't in the cards. Her phone rang again minutes later.

"It's my boss," Rory mused as she looked at the caller ID.

"Good morning, Hugo," Rory answered.

"Good morning, Rory. It appears that you've made quite the splash in the press this morning," Hugo chuckled.

"Yes, my mom just called to let me know that the press are staked out all over town. You'd think there was nothing more important going on in the world," Rory deadpanned.

"Not all journalists can have as high of ambitions as you do," Hugo chuckled again. "Listen, I really hate to do this for many reasons, but I don't really have a choice. You're one hell of a reporter, Gilmore, certainly one of the most promising young talents I've ever had the privilege of having work for me, but with the publicity coming from last night's announcements we will have an incredibly difficult time keeping you safe and away from media scrutiny on the trail, not to mention maintaining security at events with you there as well. Senator Obama's protective detail feels it's best if you don't return to the campaign trail."

"Wow, I don't even know what to say to that. I mean, I understand why. I guess it's just a shock. I had no idea that this was going to be so huge, Hugo."

"I know you didn't, kid. We're happy to pay out the remainder of your contract, and I'm more than happy to give you a glowing recommendation," Hugo offered.

"Really, that's not necessary on either count. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that money isn't an issue, and I actually accepted a job offer earlier this week, so there's no need for a recommendation either. I do appreciate the offers, though."

"Of course, Rory. Don't ever hesitate to call me if you'd like to freelance; you're always welcome back here. I wish you all the best," Hugo replied.

"Thank you, Hugo. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking a chance on a rookie reporter straight out of college. I wouldn't trade this last year and a half for anything."

"It's been my pleasure. Take care of yourself," Hugo finished before he disconnected the call.

"Wow," Rory whispered, laying there in a daze.

"Is everything okay, Ror?" Finn asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, everything is fine. You know how neither of us were looking forward to me having to go back out on the trail tomorrow?" Rory asked.

"Mmmhmm."

"Well, that was my boss. It appears that security, both mine and Senator Obama's, is a major concern with the media attention that I'm receiving and I've been released from my contract with an offer to pay out the remaining contract and for a recommendation, both of which I told him weren't necessary."

"So you're finished traveling?" Finn asked, guardedly excited.

"I'm finished traveling," Rory answered.

"And you're okay with this?"

"Yeah, I'm actually really good with this," Rory answered with a broad smile. "I'm excited that I get to start this new chapter now."

"Well then, love, let's celebrate," Finn replied as he pulled her closer and began kissing her. Their kisses quickly turned passionate, and they were lost in each other as they celebrated the end of their time apart and the beginning of their opportunity to build their lives in the same city.

Two hours later, the couple was showered and ready for the day and on their way downstairs to meet Lorelai in the Dragonfly's private dining room for lunch. After they greeted each other and sat down to eat Lorelai began the conversation.

"So, crazy day, huh, sweets?"

"You have no idea, Mom. My phone hasn't stopped ringing, mostly unknown numbers, and I heard from Hugo this morning. Apparently due to my new status, I can't be kept secure on the campaign trail. I've been released from my contract effective immediately."

"Whoa, kiddo. How are you feeling about all of this?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm actually relieved to be finished with the campaign trail. It was such a great experience, but I'm ready to put down some roots."

"So what's next for you?"

"I guess I need to find a place of my own, you know? It's time to find my home."

"And where might home be, Ror?" Lorelai asked eagerly.

"Somewhere in New York City," Rory replied. "I guess Finn will help me find a home?" she asked as she turned her attention to her boyfriend who was sitting next to her.

"Of course, love. I would be more than happy to help you find your home," Finn replied as he pulled her close to him and kissed her temple. "You can stay with me while you're looking for a place; I would love to have you there."

"You two are too sweet," Lorelai gushed. "You take care of my baby in the City, Finn."

"Absolutely, Lorelai," Finn answered without even thinking twice.

"You know what you two should do?" Lorelai asked eagerly, almost bouncing in her seat. "You should go somewhere for a week or two and let the newness of your status die down. It would make your lives way less stressful."

"Oh, I don't know, Mom. I mean, I have a new job, and I need to find someplace to live long-term. And Finn can't just take off for a couple of weeks with no notice," Rory began.

"Nonsense, love," Finn interrupted. "I have the perfect idea. We can pack and leave tonight if you'd like."

"What about your work, Finn?" Rory asked.

"Do you trust me, Ror?"

"More than anything," Rory answered immediately.

"Then let's go pack, and you leave the rest to me."

"Alright, let's pack and you can whisk me away," Rory replied excitedly. Finn left the dining room shortly before Rory in order to make a few calls in order to put things into motion for their impromptu trip. His dad thought it was a perfect idea to go away for a couple of weeks in order to maintain some sanity, and the arrangements were easily made.

Rory and Finn packed their bags, snuck out the service door of the inn, and went back to the Crap Shack so they could re-pack Rory's bags with what she would need for the trip. Lorelai was going to meet them at the house to say goodbye before they left. Since Rory didn't know their destination, she let Finn pack her clothes for her with minimal input from her while she packed her toiletries and a couple of books as well as her Kindle. When the town car pulled up to the house she hugged her mom goodbye with promises to call often and then walked out to the car hand-in-hand with Finn, excited for whatever adventure that he had planned.

Rory and Finn enjoyed the relative peace of the drive to New York. At least the press couldn't physically hound them in the car, although that didn't stop her phone from ringing nonstop with unknown numbers. She finally got so frustrated that she turned her ringer off and stuffed it in her bag.

"It's right about now that I'm regretting handing out business cards with my cell phone number on them," Rory groaned.

"You had no way to know, love. I can make a call and have a new phone waiting for you at the apartment when we get there. You could text everyone and give them the new phone number," Finn offered.

"That's actually possible, to have a new phone delivered?" Rory asked in awe.

"You're so cute, kitten. Yes, it's completely possible," Finn chuckled.

"That would be amazing, Finn. Thank you," Rory replied as she dug in her purse and handed Finn her new American Express black card that she'd gotten the previous night.

"That's not necessary, love," Finn replied, and before Rory could interrupt him he was already on the phone. Knowing when to admit defeat and just let him pay for the new phone, Rory sat back and closed her eyes for a few minutes, or at least that's what she intended. She awoke to Finn's gentle rousing when they were just a few blocks from the City.

"Ror, we're almost to my apartment," Finn told her as she opened her bleary eyes. She quickly sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. I had no idea I would fall asleep."

"There's no need to apologize, love. It's been a crazy week, and you needed the sleep. Here, you'll want these," Finn instructed as he handed her the pair of dark sunglasses from her purse. She put them on right as they pulled up in front of his apartment, and as predicted, there were a handful of photographers waiting outside wanting to get pictures of the new socialite. They quickly walked through the secure front door of his apartment building, Rory tucked protectively under Finn's arm in order to minimize her exposure to the press, with Finn's driver behind them with Finn's suitcase and the two suitcases Rory had packed of things she needed in New York.

"Mr. Morgan, welcome home," the building concierge greeted him. "And Miss Gilmore, it's lovely to have you again. Here is the iPhone phone Mr. Morgan asked us to purchase for you. Please don't hesitate to let me know if there are any problems. Mr. Morgan, here are the additional items you requested," the concierge finished as he handed Finn a manilla envelope.

"Thank you, Sean. I appreciate your help," Finn replied as he and Rory took the offered items and proceeded to the elevator. They quickly entered the elevator and rode up to Finn's penthouse apartment, and Rory couldn't help but sigh in contentment as they walked in the door. She gasped inaudibly as she realized why she felt so content. Inexplicably, she felt like she was coming home. The only possible possible explanation was that she was with Finn, and that felt like home now. Finn noticed her lost in her thoughts and squeezed her hand.

"What's going through that pretty head?" Finn asked.

"It's just...we walked in the door and all of the sudden I felt really content, and the next thought I had was that I felt like I was home," Rory whispered, completely unsure of whether or not she should be making this kind of confession to her still-new boyfriend.

"I didn't know you were so fond of my apartment," Finn teased lightly, but Rory could tell by looking in his eyes that he was actually quite pleased with her confession.

"Well, it does have a stunning view," Rory deadpanned. "Not to mention that my amazing boyfriend is there. I think that might be more important than the view," she added quietly. They locked eyes for a moment, both realizing the enormity of this moment, and neither sure what to say to it. Finding that words failed them, or at least any words that either one was willing to say at this point, they embraced and shared a passionate kiss. When they finally broke apart, Finn spoke first.

"As much as I love kissing you, we really do need to finish getting ready to go to the airport. We'll continue this on the plane," Finn said with a wink. He quickly unpacked and repacked his suitcase with what he would need for their trip while Rory synced her contacts to her new phone and sent text messages to everyone who needed her new number. When they both finished Finn joined her in the living room and picked up the manilla envelope that the concierge had handed him.

"These are for you, kitten," Finn told her as he opened the envelope and began extracting items from it. "Here's a key to the apartment, a parking pass for the underground garage, and an access card for the front door and the elevator. This is everything you'll need to stay here with me."

"Wow, I don't know what to say. Thank you, Finn," Rory replied as she took the items, put the key on her key ring, and put the access card in her purse.

"Now, love, off we go to the airport. Let's go," Finn instructed. Finn grabbed his luggage and the pair re-entered the waiting town car for the drive to the airport and their waiting flight to the unknown.


	26. Chapter 26

Rory and Finn had snuggled up on the couch and watched a couple of movies when the flight took off, and she soon fell asleep after the third movie. He let her sleep cuddled up to him knowing that it was quite a long flight and she was exhausted from the past few days. When the pilot let Finn know that they would be landing soon he began trying to gently rouse his sleeping girlfriend. She slowly stirred and woke up as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear and kissed her cheeks, forehead and lips.

"We're here, love," Finn told her as she opened her eyes.

"How long did I sleep?" Rory asked as she yawned and stretched.

"A while, love," Finn chuckled. "It's been a long week; you needed it. We'll be landing any minute."

"Good, I'm starving," Rory replied.

"We'll stop to eat soon. Now, are you ready to look out the window and see where we are?"

"Yes!" Rory exclaimed excitedly. She looked out the windows of the plane. "I see the ocean and the beach and a city…"

"Yes?" Finn prodded.

"But I have no idea where they are," Rory laughed.

"Welcome to my homeland, kitten. We're landing in Sydney. I have a house on the beach, and Morgan Holdings has an office here just in case either of us needs to go to the office for anything."

"Oh my gosh, I've always wanted to go to Australia, Finn!" Rory squealed as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "I can't believe I'm actually here!"

"I can't believe that you haven't asked where we were going since we were sitting at the Dragonfly," Finn chuckled. "You're not exactly known for your patience or for letting someone else hold all of the secrets."

"Well, you bring out the patient, trusting side of me," Rory beamed.

"I'm glad to know it, love. Shall we?" Finn asked as the jet taxied to a stop.

"Let's go!" Rory commanded. They gathered their carryons and disembarked the jet, meeting a waiting town car. As soon as the luggage was placed in the trunk they were off.

"There's a great little dive with the best fish and chips just a few blocks from my beach house. Does that sound okay?"

"That sounds amazing."

Rory exclaimed happily over the sights during the short drive to Finn's neighborhood, and their driver dropped Rory and Finn off for lunch before dropping off their luggage at Finn's house. Rory and Finn enjoyed a relaxed lunch of fish and chips with a pint of Foster's, happily free from the paparazzi. It was such a refreshing change of pace. Rory could already feel herself relaxing with the change of scenery. The little dive that they were at was right on the beach, and they had chosen to sit outside on the deck. Rory breathed in the salty air and sighed in contentment. They walked down the beach to Finn's house and Rory gasped as she saw the property. It was a beautiful bungalow with a deck that opened onto a private beach. The white bungalow had blue shutters and a red door. It just oozed warmth and relaxation.

"There's furniture that goes on the back patio in the garage that I'll get set out after we get inside. It's the perfect place for a meal or just to relax in the hammock."

"It's gorgeous, Finn. I can't believe that this is yours. I don't think I would ever go back to New York if I were you," Rory gushed.

"I do love spending time here. I try to come several times a year and usually spend a month or two of the American winter here. Mum and Dad do as well; that's why we have offices here."

"It's perfect," Rory mused as Finn led her through the back door and into the house. It had an open floor plan and comfortable furniture. There was a large kitchen with granite countertops and an island. The entire place was incredibly warm and welcoming, and Rory immediately felt comfortable. In truth, the interior reminded her of the Crap Shack.

"Come with me, kitten. I'll show you the upstairs," Finn said as he took her hand in his and guided her up the stairs. There were three bedrooms upstairs in addition to the one bedroom downstairs. At the back of the house, Finn pulled her into the master bedroom. It was a beautiful, light, airy space with a balcony that overlooked the beach.

"Wow," Rory breathed as she saw the view from the balcony. "This is stunning, Finn."

"It's one of my favorite places in the world, Ror. I'm so glad that I get to share it with you for a couple of weeks," Finn replied as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him and sighed in contentment as he peppered sweet kisses behind her ear.

"Hey, Finn?"

"Hmm?"

"I really want to make love to my Aussie boyfriend in Australia right now," Rory replied huskily.

"Say no more, love," Finn purred as he picked her up bridal style and carried her back into his bedroom, laying her gently on his bed before joining her. Their kisses and touches were tender and full of emotion, both pouring their hearts into this act of becoming one. Something had shifted in their relationship over the last week, and both were aware of this shift as they whispered affections and came together, their touches making a beautiful symphony of pleasure and emotion. As Rory came undone under his body and attention, Finn knew for certain that he was the luckiest man in the world and that he would do everything in his power to ensure that he got to continue this for the rest of his life. Sure, it was far too early to talk about marriage, but he knew deep down that this woman was end game for him, and suddenly everything felt right in his world.

As they lay tangled together trying to regain control of their breathing Rory curled further into Finn and closed her eyes, blissfully happy. She was a thinker, a planner, and pro/con list maker, but in this moment, in all of the moments since she'd reconnected with Finn over a month ago, none of those things mattered. The only thing that mattered was the man lying next to her. She smiled as a thought washed over her. She was falling for him, and all she wanted was to fall further with him by her side. There was no panic or dread or confusion. Only certainty that her life was just as it should be.

She looked up at Finn as his breathing changed and realized that he had fallen asleep. Having slept most of the flight, she really wasn't tired, so she took a quick shower and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. She found her way to the garage and pulled a comfortable looking wicker chaise onto the back deck. She arranged the cushions and walked back into the house, finding coffee grounds in the freezer. She started the coffee maker and looked through the cabinets to find a large coffee mug. When the precious brew finished she poured herself a large cup and then grabbed a book and her cell phone before making herself comfortable on the back deck. She made a quick phone call to upgrade her cell phone plan to one that included international roaming and texting and sent her mom a quick text to let her know that they had arrived safely and were in Australia. She finally pulled out her book and opened it, losing herself in the world of the fictional characters.

Finn stirred and woke from his nap, realizing that the bed next to him was empty and cold. He dressed and walked downstairs and saw Rory sitting outside on the deck happily immersed in her book.

"Good book, love?" he asked as he walked outside.

"Good book," Rory affirmed as she shut her book and set it down next to her. "Even better scenery. We've been here for a few hours and I already feel more relaxed than I've felt in forever."

"I'm so glad," Finn replied. He pulled her up from the chaise and settled onto it before pulling her back down and settling her between his legs, her back against his chest. "I thought we would maybe grab some groceries and relax tonight. Maybe tomorrow you could meet some of my friends from here?"

"That would be amazing. Thank you so much for bringing me here, Finn."

"Thank you for letting me, doll."

The two sat in silence for a little while, drinking in the salty air and enjoying the moment, before Finn finally broke it.

"We can come back out here later tonight to watch the sunset, but we should probably get moving to the grocery store. I'm certain that my Gilmore girl will be hungry soon," Finn teased lightly.

"You know me so well," Rory retorted with a giggle. They both stood and walked into the house where Finn grabbed his keys.

"The store is really within walking distance, but since I haven't been here in a few months we'll need to get quite a few things. I figured we should drive rather than trying to carry everything back," Finn told her as he led her out to the garage where there was a black Navigator parked. He helped her into the vehicle and drove them the few blocks to the grocery store.

"I thought we might grill steaks and roast some veggies tonight if that sounds okay with you?" Finn asked as they entered the store.

"Huh," Rory replied.

"Huh? To steaks?" Finn asked. He could tell something was on her mind.

"We're grocery shopping, Finn."

"And?"

"It's just...it's nice. I mean, it's very domestic and normal, and that's a first for us," Rory pointed out. "With me having been traveling for work we haven't gotten to do these normal things. I really like it." Finn smiled and stopped at the side of the aisle, pulling her into his arms and kissing her lightly.

"I really like it too, kitten. Everything's going to change now with you not being on the road anymore, but that's a good thing."

"Yeah, it really is," Rory answered contentedly.

They walked through the store grabbing steaks and veggies, breakfast food, snack foods and necessities, both marveling at the normality of it all. They loaded their purchases into the Navigator and Finn threw the keys to Rory.

"Want to drive back, love?" he asked.

"What? I've never driven on the left side of the road before," Rory answered.

"It's just a few blocks; you'll be just fine," he reassured her.

"If you're sure," Rory replied uncertainly.

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't, kitten. Now, let's get going."

Rory finally got into the driver's seat and started the car. She reached over to Finn and kissed him to calm herself and then backed out of the parking place.

"I did it!" Rory exclaimed as she pulled into the garage.

"You're a natural," Finn chuckled.

They unloaded the groceries and Rory helped Finn put them away. They brought the rest of the outdoor furniture to the deck and situated it so they could eat outside before walking back to the kitchen.

"Are you ready to help me cook dinner, love?" Finn asked.

"You want me to cook? You do know that Gilmores aren't born with that gene."

"Nonsense. You just need the right person to teach you. Come on, let's go," Finn commanded as he patted her bottom and pointed her toward the kitchen.

Finn lit the grill for it to preheat and then helped Rory get out the veggies they had purchased. They laughed as they washed and prepared potatoes, asparagus, squash and broccoli. Finn walked Rory through tossing the veggies with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and they set them to roasting. He grilled the steaks as she got out plates and silverware, picked out a bottle of wine from the wine fridge and got out wine glasses. She set the table on the deck and joined Finn outside with the veggies as everything was ready. Finn poured them each a glass of wine and toasted.

"To our new chapter of normalcy, domesticity, and living in the same city," Finn offered. They clinked glasses and tucked into their food.

"Oh my goodness, even these veggies are delicious!" Rory gushed.

"See, I told you, love. I'll have you cooking like a pro before you know it."

"I just hope my mom doesn't disown me," Rory joked.

"Nah, she loves you far too much, kitten."

They finished their meal amidst lively conversation and cleared the dishes before walking back out to the deck. The sun was just setting, and they curled up together on the outdoor loveseat, glasses of wine in hand, and enjoyed the sunset in comfortable silence. Neither needed words; they simply needed the one they cared about next to them.


	27. Chapter 27

Finn and Rory slept in on Monday, both enjoying the peace and quiet along with the change of pace from the previous week. Finn had gotten in touch with his friends from down under and made plans for them all to come to his place that evening for a barbeque and bonfire on the beach. They took a run together on the beach after breakfast and then spent the beginning of the afternoon getting things in order for the evening, purchasing food and alcohol for the night, and preparing to host the group before relaxing in the hammock together in the afternoon.

"Something on your mind, kitten?" Finn asked as he held Rory in his arms. She'd been quiet for the past couple of hours, and he could tell that something was bothering her.

"Not wrong, really. I'm just...what if your friend don't like me?" she asked quietly.

"That's rubbish, love! You are an amazing woman, and they will love you, if for no other reason then because you make me so incredibly happy, so don't you worry your pretty little head about that."

"I hope you're right, Finn."

"Ror, they're great people, and you'll fit right in, minus your cute little American accent," Finn reassured her. "Now, I insist that you stop fretting over it."

"I'll do my best. You know, you could always help distract me," she replied as she began kissing down his neck to his chest.

"Well, who am I to refuse my beautiful girlfriend when she's in need of my assistance," Finn returned as he picked her up and carried her back into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom.

"You are the best...distraction I've ever had," Rory told Finn with a blush as they laid back on the bed and willed their heart rates and breathing to return to normal an hour later.

"Trust me, love, the feeling is quite mutual," Finn chuckled. "I am one very happy, very satisfied man."

"Really?"

"Why do you sound so surprised, Ror?"

"Well, I'm not exactly experienced, comparatively. Other than you there have been two men."

"Experience has nothing to do with it, love. You are amazing, in every way. You need to see what I see in you," Finn told her as he stood up, scooped her up in his arms and set her on her feet in his bathroom in front of the mirror, him standing behind her.

"Finn, what are we doing?!" Rory asked as she began trying to turn away from the mirror.

"Nuh-uh, Rory," he told her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her in place. "I want you to look in that mirror. I don't know what you see, but I see the most piercing, gorgeous eyes I've ever seen in my entire life, an incredibly sexy body. I love your curves and the little freckles on your shoulders. I love the way your body fits with mine. I love your gorgeous chestnut locks that I get to run my fingers through. I love how incredibly intelligent and witty you are. There's not one thing about you that should make you feel insecure, Ror. You're bloody amazing, inside and out. Turn around here and look at me," he commanded. He waited for her to do as he told her before pulling her close, looking her in the eyes and continuing. "You are hands-down the most amazing woman I've ever met, Rory. I count myself as the luckiest man in the world that I get to be with you, okay? So whatever you're thinking in that pretty little head of yours, stop it. Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely, Finn," she replied without hesitation, tears brimming in her eyes as she really listened to what he he said.

"Then believe what I'm telling you, Rory, because it's true," he told her firmly. I won't ever lie to you, love, unless of course it's for the sake of a happy surprise."

"I'll do my best," she replied hesitatingly. "I've spent most of my life not fitting in, somewhere between Hartford high society and Stars Hollow. I've never been enough for a man to stay, whether it was my dad or a boyfriend. I just...I guess it's done a real number on me."

Finn held her face in his hands and wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumbs. "I'm not going anywhere, doll. This thing between the two of us? It's real, Ror. I'm not going to walk away from you."

"I'm not walking away either, Finn. For the first time in my life, I'm not running. It seems like I've always been too scared to get close, but I'm not doing that now. I want to be right here with you, and I have no desire to run."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finn's Aussie friends began arriving in early afternoon and soon the party was in full swing. Rory met more people than she could possibly put names to at this point, even though it wasn't a large party, and she found herself absolutely loving playing host with Finn. He grilled while she took care of setting out sides and tending to the other aspects of the get together. She was looking around the private beach that was quickly filling with Finn's friends when she heard the commotion at the back door.

"Finn, it's about damn time!" came the voice of a tall blonde man. He and Finn embraced in a man hug and immediately began talking.

"Noah, it has been too long. Life has been a bit hectic. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet," Finn replied as he led Noah over to Rory. He wrapped an arm around Rory's waist, pulling her close to him, before introducing her.

"Rory, this is my best mate here in the homeland, Noah. Noah, I'd like to introduce you to my beautiful girlfriend, Rory Gilmore," Finn introduced proudly.

"Rory, it's lovely to meet you. I must say, I'm a bit surprised. Our man here has never brought his girl home with him."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Noah," Rory replied as a group began to gather around to listen to the conversation and get in on the introductions. "Finn and I both needed to get away from media attention for a bit, and he was kind enough to sweep me away to his homeland. I must say, I see why he loves it so much already."

"You're not dragging her into trouble with you are you, Finn?" Noah asked, wondering about the media attention.

"Nah, mate. Rory is also a part of Hartford society and due to her newly-announced status our lives have become press fodder. We thought it would be a good idea to lay low for a couple of weeks."

"Well, welcome to the land down under," Noah returned.

Soon the girls were pulling Rory aside to learn more about her and the boys were congregating around the grill with Finn. Olivia and Mia introduced themselves as two of Finn's oldest friends and insisted on hearing the story of how Finn and Rory came to be, often exclaiming over how incredibly sweet their story was and how they'd never seen Finn so happy and never seen him look at someone like he looked at her. Rory was instantly drawn to the girls and found herself making plans to join them shopping in Sydney later in the week.

Meanwhile, across the yard, the guys were all quizzing Finn on Rory.

"Mate, your girl is stunning," Liam told him.

"Don't I know it, Liam. She looks as gorgeous in shorts and a tank top as she does in an evening gown."

"So, what's her story? Potential trophy wife?" Noah asked, trying to see what Finn would tell him. He'd never known Finn to be the trophy wife type, but he'd also never known Finn to date someone from society.

"Nah, mate. She's bloody brilliant, witty, talented. She's far too good for me, but I'm not going to be the one to tell her. She graduated from Yale a year after me, followed Senator Obama on the campaign trail since then and actually just accepted a job offer from us."

"Nepotism at its finest?" Oliver asked.

"Absolutely not," Finn chuckled. "Check out the beating we took in the media early last Tuesday; she's the one who cleaned it all up for us. After seeing her work, Dad and the board were sold. She's our new Director of Media and Public Relations. She's going to be fantastic."

"So, why's she getting all the media attention back in the States?" Noah asked.

"She comes from two very prominent Hartford families, and she just turned 25 last week. Both families named her as their sole heiress at a party last Friday."

Noah let out a low whistle at that.

"Let me get this straight. Witty, talented, intelligent, sexy as hell, knows how to navigate your life, and doesn't need your money? You'd better hold onto this one, mate," Noah told him.

"First of all, that's my girlfriend you're calling sexy, mate. Second of all, I'm holding on for dear life."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the inquisitions were over, the party continued with food, drinks, music, laughter and fun for everyone. At sunset they started a bonfire on the beach and settled in around the fire in chairs or on the beach. Rory sat between Finn's legs wrapped in his arms, sighing contently as he held her and they talked with the group.

"You doing alright, kitten?" he whispered in her ear.

"I'm better than okay, Finn. Everyone is so nice; this night has been perfect."

Finn kissed her tenderly and pulled her up to her feet.

"Dance with me, love?" he asked as he pulled her further toward the ocean.

"Of course," she replied softly as they wrapped their arms around each other. They swayed together to the music, neither one aware of the group up the beach. As they held each other, Rory closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. She suddenly realized with a great deal of certainty that she finally knew the answer to the question that Finn had asked her the day that they'd first reconnected. She gasped audibly, and Finn pulled back just enough to look at her when he heard her.

"Everything okay, Ror?"

"Yeah, I just...I know now."

"You know what, love?"

"Do you remember that first night that we went out, when you asked me where home was?"

"I do," he answered quietly.

"I figured it out," she whispered, unsure as to whether or not she should make this admission.

"I hope it's New York City," Finn teased lightly.

Rory took a moment to study him. She looked into his eyes and saw the look of pure adoration coming from him, and she took a deep breath.

"It's where you are, Finn," she told him quietly. "I feel at home when I'm with you."

Finn was momentarily stunned by her admission. The most amazing woman in the world was telling him that all she needed to be at home was him. It was, frankly, an overwhelming moment. Finn had in his past had many one-night stands and a few relationships, but no woman had captured his heart and made him feel complete until Rory. Still unable to put his thoughts into words, he lowered his lips to hers and put everything that he was feeling into a kiss. They pulled apart breathless and clinging to each other for dear life.

"I don't know what the hell I did to deserve you, Rory Gilmore, but I'm so happy that you feel that way. When we go back to the States, I would love nothing more than for us to have a home together. You can move in with me, or we can find a new place together. I just...I love going to sleep next to you and waking up with you in my arms. I know it's soon, but I want our home to be together. What do you say?"

Rory only considered for a moment before answering with a broad smile on her face.

"I say I want that too, Finn."

"So we'll live together?" Finn asked excitedly.

"Yes!" Rory exclaimed. Finn picked her up and spun her around, hugging her tightly.

"You have just made me the happiest man in the world, Ror."


	28. Chapter 28

The party at Finn's Australia beach house was still in full swing with everyone once again gathered around the bonfire when a new group of girls came through the door into Finn's private beach area.

"Ladies, welcome," greeted Noah. "I didn't think you were going to make it."

"And miss seeing my Finny?" purred a stunning blonde named Kate. "He hasn't come back to see me in far too long."

Finn felt Rory tense as Kate spoke and pulled her closer in his arms. He had gone out on one date with Kate the summer before he started at Yale. He found her to be unbearably shallow but she didn't seem to be able to take no for an answer.

"It's nice to see you, Kate," Finn replied coldly, hoping to get his point across. He then leaned down and whispered in Rory's ear.

"Nothing to worry about, love. We went on one date but she doesn't seem able to let go."

Finn turned his attention back to Kate who was talking to him again as she walked over to where he was standing with Rory.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back, Finny? We have to catch up. Maybe over dinner tomorrow night?"

"Certainly," Finn chuckled as he winked at Rory. "Just as long as you're good with this lovely lady here coming with. Perhaps you could bring a date and we could double?"

"I would much rather spend time just the two of us," she pouted as she came closer and wrapped her arm around Finn. "Take me for a walk on the beach."

It was at this point that Rory had enough, but fortunately Finn piped up before she had to.

"Actually, my lovely girlfriend and I just got back from a walk on the beach. Kate, I would like to introduce you to Rory. Rory, this is an old friend of mine, Kate."

"It's nice to meet You, Kate," Rory offered stiffly.

"Yes, I'm sure it is," Kate huffed. "Since when do you have a girlfriend?" she asked Finn.

"It's been about a month and a half now, right, kitten?" Finn asked Rory.

"An amazing month and a half," Rory replied with a smirk before turning to Finn and kissing him senseless.

"Well, when you're finished and ready for a real woman you know where to find me," Kate shot back.

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Finn muttered, making Rory laugh.

"Excuse me?" Kate asked.

"I was just saying that my ravishing girlfriend and I will be returning to our home in New York next week," Finn chuckled.

"Like I said, you know where to find me," Kate huffed as she stomped off to gather her friends and leave.

"You alright, Ror?" Finn asked her quietly.

"Yeah, I'm good. I trust you, and I know you only want me, right?"

"Only you, love," Finn whispered. "She isn't a tenth of the woman you are. You have nothing to worry about."

Finn and Rory relaxed for the rest of their first week in Australia, spending lazy mornings in bed, going for evening runs on the beach, napping together in the hammock and enjoying the Pacific Ocean.

Rory went to the spa and shopping with some of the girls she had met at the party and after talking with them about Finn decided that she wanted to do something special for him the second week of their stay. While Finn went in to the office for a couple of hours she met Noah to get help planning Finn's surprise.

On the following Monday, Noah, Liam, Mia and Olivia rang the doorbell bright and early, ready for the day that the boys had helped Rory plan for Finn.

"Were we expecting you guys?" Finn asked when he answered the door.

"We were," Rory smirked. "Liam and Noah helped me plan a day of surprises for you, and I invited them along to enjoy the day with us."

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Finn asked.

"Not a chance, dear," Rory giggled. "Now, everyone out to Noah's SUV. We need to get a move on!"

The group piled in the SUV where Rory took a blindfold out of her bag and held it out to Finn with a Cheshire cat grin.

"You can't be serious, love?" Finn asked.

"Oh, I'm completely serious. Put it on, mister!"

Finn grumbled quietly as he tied the blindfold in place so they could leave for their first destination. A short time later the vehicle parked and Rory helped Finn out of the car. She led him a short distance and positioned him before taking his blindfold off when they were standing in front of a chartered fishing boat.

"Surprise!" Rory squealed.

"You're taking me deep sea fishing?" Finn asked excitedly.

"That's our first stop for the day!"

"You are amazing, love. Thank you so much!"

"Today is all about you, Finn. You've been so amazing since we started seeing each other, and I wanted to do something to support you like you've supported me. It might also be a bit of a reward for handling Kate so well last night too," Rory giggled.

"I will always turn down any other woman for you, Ror," he answered as he pulled her close and hugged her.

"I do love the sound of that. Now, we need to get on board!"

The group boarded the boat and they quickly disembarked for their fishing expedition. Once they dropped anchor Finn showed Rory how to bait her line and helped her to get situated before setting his line as well. The group chatted and took pictures to document their deep sea fishing adventure. They were all laughing when suddenly Rory's line suddenly got a bite. Finn and Rory rushed over to her line where he told her how to reel in her catch, helping her as she struggled against the obviously large fish. They reeled it up together and Rory beamed at her first catch. A few hours later, everyone having caught something and their fish being cleaned and held by the charter company they left to head back to shore for part two of their adventure.

The group changed into swimsuits quickly and boarded a smaller charter boat that took them out to a nearby reef. After some quick instructions, the group dove in and snorkeled together. Liam had brought his waterproof camera to document their snorkeling trip. Rory was in awe of how beautiful the reef was and all of the sea life that she was able to see. After snorkeling they re-boarded the boat for the last part of their adventure.

"I don't think I can do it," Olivia said nervously.

"Me either," Mia agreed.

"Do what, ladies?" Finn asked, not having seen what the crew was readying at the back of the boat.

"We're parasailing, Finn!" Rory told him happily.

"You're not going, are you, Rory?" Mia asked.

"Of course I'm going!" Rory exclaimed.

"This amazing woman has jumped off of a seven story scaffolding, so I'm sure this looks like a breeze to her," Finn chuckled.

"If you ever get tired of him give me a call," Noah teased. "You really are the perfect woman."

"Not a chance, Noah," Rory giggled. "I'm happily under his spell."

"You two are nauseatingly cute," Olivia commented.

Finn and Rory allowed the crew to strap them in for their parasailing ascent.

"Are you ready, love?" Finn asked just before the boat took off.

"In omnia!" Rory exclaimed as the boat began speeding up.

"In omnia!" Finn yelled as the couple gripped hands and began ascending over the ocean. Rory's breath caught in her throat as she took in the beautiful view that the height afforded them. It was absolutely breathtaking. Finn pointed out different landmarks that they could see as they sailed high above the Pacific Ocean.

"Wow," Rory breathed as she looked around her. "It's amazing."

"It really is, kitten. Thank you for this. Believe it or not, this is a first for me."

The boat slowed as the crew reeled in the rope to bring the couple back into the boat. They landed safely on board and Finn pulled Rory into his arms as soon as they were free from their restraints. He hugged her close and whispered in her ear for only her to hear.

"Thank you, kitten. I love you, Rory."

Rory stilled at his admission. She knew from their previous discussions that he had never uttered those words to a romantic interest before and that he'd never in love. She pulled back just far enough to kiss him lightly.

"I love you, Finn," she whispered against his lips.


	29. Chapter 29

Rory sighed as their flight descended into a private airstrip in Hartford. Their two weeks in Australia had been more than she could have dreamed. After their adventures on the water with Finn's Aussie friends, they had spent the remainder of the week relaxing together and Rory had spent one additional afternoon with the girls in order to execute her final surprise for Finn, which he still wasn't aware of. Now they were back to life, and she wasn't sure exactly what she should be expecting. It had been so long since she had a home to go back to every night or an office, or even a boyfriend. Everything was different now, and she couldn't help but smile as she thought about just how different her life was. Sure, being named the heiress to the Gilmore and Hayden businesses and fortunes had complicated things, but for at least this one moment in time, it seemed as though she had everything.

Rory and Finn planned to spend Wednesday and most of Thursday in Stars Hollow, spending time with Lorelai and packing Rory's belongings, and then driving to Finn's New York apartment in Rory's newly-purchased Cadillac Escalade. Her grandparents had decided that a Prius "simply wasn't appropriate for a person of her stature" while she and Finn were in Australia and had taken it upon themselves to sell the Prius and buy the Escalade. While Rory wasn't exactly happy about the elder Gilmores making decisions for her, she knew it wasn't worth fighting with them over.

The jet touched down and Rory could see her mom bouncing from foot to foot in the small parking area adjacent to the runway. Both Rory and Finn had taken great care to not disclose any information regarding where they had been or their travel plans publicly in hopes of not attracting media attention during their trip or upon their return, and for the moment at least, they seemed to have been successful. They gathered their carry-ons and walked down the stairs onto the tarmac hand-in-hand as Lorelai bounded up to the couple.

"You actually came home!" Lorelai squealed excitedly as she enveloped Rory in a huge hug.

"I told you I would," Rory chuckled as she returned her mom's embrace.

"I know, but you never know what might change. I mean, you're at a house on a private beach with with hot Aussie. You might decide never to come back to me," Lorelai volleyed as she moved to hug Finn. "Good to see you, Finn."

"Good to see you as well, Lorelai," Finn returned warmly as they broke their embrace.

Rory moved back to Finn's side, snuggling into him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she wrapped hers around his waist.

"Look at you two! You both look so tanned and relaxed and happy. I don't think I've ever seen you like this, Ror," Lorelai gushed.

"It feels good, Mom. Now, let's get out of here and head to Luke's; I'm starved," Rory replied.

"You're always starved," Finn teased.

"And you love me anyway," Rory shot back as she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "Besides, you'd better get used to it since we're going to be living together."

"I really do love you, kitten, and I can't wait to get you moved in," Finn returned as he kissed her nose.

Neither had noticed Lorelai's mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Whoa, kiddo. Apparently Mommy missed a lot while you two were in Australia," Lorelai whispered in surprise.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Mom. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I wanted to actually sit down with you and tell you," Rory replied nervously. Lorelai noticed the uncertain look on Rory's face and quickly realized that she must be nervous.

"No, it's all good. It's sweet even to find out like this," Lorelai reassured her. "I'm beyond happy for you two, seriously. You know I haven't always been a fan of your boyfriends, but this is a great thing."

'Really?" Rory asked hopefully.

"Really, Rory. I couldn't be any happier for you if I tried. You two are fantastic together. Now, let's get to Luke's. I believe these belong to you. I must say, that's one heck of a nice ride you've got now," she finished as she held the keys to Rory's new black Escalade out to her.

"Thank you so much, Mom," Rory replied misty-eyed as she hugged her mom again and they all walked over to her new vehicle, which had already been loaded with their luggage. Rory handed Finn the keys and walked toward the passenger side.

"Whoa, you sure about that, kitten? Don't you want to drive your new vehicle?" he asked her.

"I'm positive, Finn. I want you to drive, and I just want to sit back and relax."

Finn nodded and opened the passenger doors for both Rory and Lorelai before proceeding to the driver's side and situating himself behind the wheel.

"Whoa," Rory breathed out when she took in the interior of the vehicle. It had an entertainment system and in-dash navigation, heated seats, and every other amenity that she could think of.

"I think your car's almost worth more than my house, kiddo," Lorelai teased.

"Oh, hush, you! I didn't ask for this," Rory shot back as Finn started the car and headed off towards Stars Hollow. Lorelai filled the pair in on all of the newest happenings in Stars Hollow on the drive to Luke's, scarcely stopping to take a breath. When they pulled up in front of Luke's Finn helped them both from the car and they walked in the door to the Gilmore girls' favorite diner.

"Luke, my baby's home!" Lorelai exclaimed as they walked in.

"I can see that," Luke replied as he looked up to see the group. "Welcome back, Rory," he greeted as he hugged her lightly. "And Finn, it's good to see you again," he continued as he shook Finn's hand.

The group finished exchanging hellos and Luke brought three cups of coffee over to the table where they all sat down. They gave Luke their orders and then Rory and Finn began animatedly telling Lorelai all about their trip to Finn's homeland. They told her about their lazy days, sightseeing, and Rory told her all about getting to meet Finn's friends. Finn proudly told Lorelai all about deep sea fishing, snorkeling, and parasailing as they scrolled through the pictures on their phones and the underwater camera they had purchased, letting her see their adventures over the last two weeks.

"It looks like you guys had an amazing time," Lorelai said when they had finished and their food had been delivered to the table.

"We really did, Mom. It's so beautiful and peaceful. I could have stayed there forever," Rory answered wistfully.

"Oh no, missy. Don't you get any ideas about moving all the way across the world from Mommy. I'm just now getting you back within driving distance," Lorelai admonished.

"We're not moving across the world, Mom," Rory said as she rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm moving to New York."

"Have you guys decided where you're going to live?" Lorelai asked.

"Ror's going to move in with me for now, and after she gets settled into her new job we'll probably look for someplace a bit bigger. We were thinking about maybe looking at brownstones," Finn replied. "I don't want her to feel like she's living in my apartment; I want us to choose a place and settle in together."

"You two are disgustingly cute," Lorelai teased them as the bells over the diner door rang out, indicating the arrival of a new patron. Suddenly Rory heard Luke's surprised voice.

"Jess…"


	30. Chapter 30

Rory heard Luke and quickly turned toward the door of the diner, where she caught sight of the one and only Jess Mariano.

"Jess!" she squealed as she jumped out of her chair. She ran across the diner and launched herself into Jess's open arms, knocking him to the ground in the process. They laughed as they both tumbled to the floor together.

"I missed you, too, Ror," he chuckled.

"I can't believe you're actually here, Jess," Rory exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, sorry I couldn't make it for your birthday," Jess apologized as he untangled himself from Rory, stood up, and helped Rory to her feet.

"Don't be; I know that you couldn't make it work. You can't change your book tour schedule for me," she replied quietly.

Lorelai looked back and forth between Finn and the spectacle that was Jess and Rory and their reunion. She didn't miss the look of hurt and confusion on Finn's face as Rory jumped into Jess's arms. Lorelai suddenly wondered just how much of her relationship with Jess Rory had told Finn. Her thoughts were interrupted by Rory's voice.

"You have to come join us!" she said to Jess as she linked her arm through his and led him over to their table. Jess sat down next to Lorelai and greeted her.

"Lorelai," he said as he nodded in her direction.

"Jess, it's been awhile since we've seen you. What brings you to town?" she asked her nephew.

"Just got back from my book tour and heard that Rory might be home, so I wanted to come visit," he answered her.

"Well, you know you're always welcome. The apartment is yours, as always," Luke told him as Finn's phone rang. Luke pointed to the no cell phones sign as he glared at Finn, and Finn walked out the door of the diner to answer.

"Logan, what's up, mate?" Finn asked tersely.

"You don't sound like you're in a good mood, Finn. Trouble in paradise?" Logan asked.

"No, everything's fine. We're just in Stars Hollow and some guy that Rory apparently knows very well showed up. I'm not really clear on their relationship," Finn lamented.

"I've been there, man. When I was out of town once this Jess guy showed up and I returned to find him and Rory going out to dinner. I acted like a real ass that night, insulting him and yelling at Rory," Logan told Finn.

"Wait, did you say his name was Jess?" Finn ask, realization dawning.

"Yeah, he was a writer or something. Why?"

"That's who it was, mate. He's in there now. He walked in the door and she jumped out of her chair and flew into his arms. He said he just got back from a book tour," Finn told Logan.

"Shit, man. I'm sorry. I had no idea or I wouldn't have said anything, Finn."

"Not your fault, mate. Do they have a history?" Finn asked, not really wanting to know the answer but needing to for his own peace of mind.

"Yeah, they dated in high school," Logan replied quietly.

So much for peace of mind.

"And since then?" Finn asked.

"I have no idea, man. Talk to Rory about it, okay? I'm not one to dwell on regrets, but that night is one of a handful of the nights during my relationship with her that I would give anything to be able to go back and change."

"Right, I'll talk to her as soon as I can," Finn replied dejectedly. "Did you need something?" he asked, suddenly remembering that Logan had called him.

"Colin and I just wanted to see when you'd be back in the city if you wanted to go out and get some drinks."

"Yeah, let me see what's going on and I'll let you know when I'm available, mate."

"Thanks, Finn. She's clearly crazy about you, man. Take it from a man who has loved and lost Rory Gilmore; don't do anything stupid. Talk to her," Logan instructed him before hanging up.

Finn slid his phone in his pocket and looked through the diner windows. Lorelai had moved to the counter and was leaned over talking to Luke. Rory was still at the table talking animatedly to Jess. She obviously looked very happy to see him. Finn felt like he'd been kicked in the gut as he watched them, and no matter how much he tried to remember what Logan had told him, he was still upset. He turned away from the diner and walked toward the Crap Shack, his anger building as he walked further away from Rory. By the time he got to his destination he was quite worked up. He sank down on the porch swing and stared off into space as he contemplated the nature of Jess's relationship with his girlfriend. His head told him to give her the benefit of the doubt and trust her, but his heart was terrified of being broken.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai left the diner and walked toward the Crap Shack, leaving Jess and Rory talking at the table. Finn had stepped out to take a phone call and hadn't come back, and she was more than a little worried about him. As she approached her home she saw him sitting on the porch swing, his head in his hands, obviously not happy.

"Hey, Finn. Everything okay?" she asked as she nudged him over and sat down next to him on the porch swing.

"Huh? Oh sorry, I didn't see you there," Finn answered absentmindedly.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that your current state of mind has something to do with the reunion that you just witnessed?" Lorelai prodded.

"Yeah, something like that. I have no idea who that guy is to her really, and then Logan said some things on the phone, and I just needed to not be there."

"What did Logan say?" Lorelai asked.

"He could tell I was unhappy and asked if there was trouble in paradise. When I told him about the reunion he proceeded to tell me about when he met Jess, not realizing that was who I'd just witnessed my girlfriend jumping all over."

"She loves you, Finn," Lorelai offered.

"Not Jess?"

"No, she loves Jess, but not like she loves you. They dated in high school, and then he left her without even telling her and broke her heart. Eventually they became friends. Honestly, even though they don't get to see each other super often, he's probably one of her best friends."

"It just kind of stings, you know," Finn elaborated. "I know nothing about this guys, she runs squealing into his arms when he walks in the door, and I've been gone for half an hour now and she hasn't even noticed."

"Do you love her, Finn?" Lorelai asked.

"More than anything," he answered immediately.

"Then talk to her. She and Jess have a unique relationship, and sometimes they do lose track of time or reality, but I assure you that there's nothing going on there. They just understand each other in an almost scary way. He's also the one person who can call her on her shit and get through to her when none of the rest of us can. He's the one who got her back to Yale after the whole yacht-stealing incident."

"Thanks, Lorelai," Finn offered with a small smile.

"By the way, he's sort of her cousin now," Lorelai whispered conspiratorially. "Now, go back to your girl."

"Will do. Thank you again," he said, smiling a bit bigger now.

Finn stood up and accepted the hug Lorelai was offering and then walked back toward Luke's, feeling a bit better now. He was still feeling a bit unsure, but he knew that he needed to get back to Rory and talk with her. Hopefully being there with the two of them would give him some peace of mind.

When he walked into Luke's they were both still sitting at the table deep in conversation. He walked over to the table and sat down again next to Rory.

"There you are!" she exclaimed happily, leaning over and kissing him. "I was getting worried about you. Finn, this is one of my closest friends, Jess. Jess, this is my boyfriend, Finn."

"It's nice to meet you, Jess," Finn offered as he held out his hand for the other man.

"You too, man. I'm relieved that I don't need to yell at her about you," Jess added cryptically.

"Excuse me?" Finn asked.

"He wasn't a fan of Logan," Rory chuckled as she rolled her eyes at Jess.

"I wasn't a fan of the way he treated you," Jess clarified. "But from what I hear from you, your mom, and Luke, this one seems to treat you much better."

"He really does," Rory replied with a grin as she leaned into Finn and cuddled into his side.

"So, how are things going after the announcements a couple of weeks ago?" Jess asked Rory.

"They're going well. I actually got let out of my contract with Hugo because they didn't feel comfortable with the media attention I would be receiving while on the campaign trail."

"That really sucks, Ror. What are you going to do next?"

"Actually, I already had a job lined up. I'm going to work for Finn's family business as the new Media and Public Relations Director for Morgan Holdingsm and I'll also be editor-in-chief of their new travel magazine," Rory answered proudly.

"Huh," Jess grunted.

"Huh what, Jess?" Rory asked, obviously annoyed.

"I just didn't think you were one to use your boyfriend's connections to get a job," he answered tersely.

"In all fairness, Jess, that's not how she got the job at all," Finn defended her. "We were in a real press nightmare and didn't have anyone on staff who could handle it. She took pity on my dad and me and put her amazing skills to work. She really saved our asses, and she caught the attention of my dad and the board in the process. She earned that job offer."

"Well, I stand corrected then. I guess congratulations are in order. Where will you be living?" Jess asked.

"I'm going to stay with Finn for now, and after I get settled in at work we'll look for a bigger place together," she answered happily.

"You look really happy, Ror," Jess conceded.

"That's because I really am," she answered happily. "I'm really excited about this new job, I'm over-the-moon about having a home to come back to every night, and I'm head-over-heels in love with an amazing man."

"I love you too, kitten," Finn whispered to her as he nuzzled her cheek.

"You two are nauseating," Jess teased. "I'm going to go upstairs and get settled; make sure you say goodbye before you leave town."

Jess stood up, kissed Rory on the cheek, grabbed his duffel bag and left the pair at the table.

"Everything okay, Finn? You were gone for a long time when you left to answer your phone," Rory asked.

"I'm okay, kitten," he answered evasively.

"Somehow I'm thinking that's not the whole story," Rory prodded further.

"Can we have this conversation somewhere else?"

"Sure, let's go to the gazebo," Rory answered, now more worried about her boyfriend. Finn dropped cash on the table to cover the check and they walked hand-in-hand to the gazebo.

"I'm sorry," he began as they sat down.

"Sorry for what?" Rory asked him, her mind racing with possibilities of what might be upsetting him.

"I'm sorry that I got upset back there."

"What are you talking about, Finn?" she asked, now completely confused.

"I saw the way you reacted when he walked in the door and I felt really insecure and jealous. Then I stepped outside and answered the phone. It was Logan, and he told me the story of when he met Jess. I was scared that maybe there was something going on between the two of you and I walked back to the Crap Shack after I hung up. I'm sorry," Finn answered, still not looking her in the eye.

"Hey, look at me, baby," she commanded as she tilted his chin up so his eyes met hers. "I'm sorry that seeing me with Jess made you feel insecure. I haven't really told you much about him."

"Your mom filled me in on some of the details," Finn answered.

"Good, but you need to hear this from me," Rory stated firmly. "Jess and I did date back in high school, but that's long in the past. We finally dealt with all of our issues and fixed our friendship after graduation. He's incredibly important to me, but we're honestly really nothing but friends," Rory reassured him.

"Thank you, kitten," Finn replied, finally really smiling.

"For what?"

"For not getting upset with me over my reaction."

"I probably would have reacted the same way if the tables were turned."

"Well, I assure you that you have no one to worry about, love," he told her.

"I'm glad, and neither do you, Finn," she told him as she kissed him again.


	31. Chapter 31

_A/N: I'd like to say a huge thank you to all of my readers, and especially to the amazing Ashley Wheeler, who has become my muse, my editor, and a great friend. If you're not already reading The Legend - A Gilmore Girls Fan Fiction, you should be! It's an amazing Finn Fic that she writes._

Late Thursday morning, all of Rory's worldly belongings were packed and loaded in her now-full SUV and she and Finn were sitting in Luke's enjoying lunch with her mom before they left for the drive to New York.

"I'm going to miss you so much, kiddo," Lorelai lamented to Rory as they ate their lunch.

"I'm going to miss you too, Mom, but I'll be a lot closer than I've been since graduation," Rory reminded her.

"And you're welcome to visit us anytime, Lorelai. We have a guest room that you can stay in whenever you come to the City," Finn chimed in.

"You're going to regret telling me I'm welcome anytime, Aussie," Lorelai warned with a sly smile.

"I don't think that's possible, but you go ahead and try to wear out your welcome," Finn chuckled.

"You know," Rory began hesitantly, "I need to go shopping for some new clothes for the office this weekend. You could come up on Saturday and we could go shopping and spend the day together." In truth, it had been Finn's idea for Rory to invite her mom to come shopping with her.

"Really?!" Lorelai squealed in excitement.

"Really!" Rory chuckled.

"I'll be there, mini-me!" Lorelai told her daughter as she bounced in her seat happily.

With the mood lightened, they finished their lunches and Rory and Finn bid Lorelai and Luke goodbye with a promise to call as soon as they arrived in New York and promises to get together soon. Rory took in the town around her before getting into her SUV and realized that she really wasn't home here anymore. It would always be her childhood home, and she had even still considered it home when she was on the campaign trail, but her home was in New York with Finn now. She smiled at the man in the driver's seat and laced their fingers together.

"You ready to go, kitten?" Finn asked her after he had buckled his seatbelt and started the engine.

"Let's go home, Finn," she replied happily.

"I like the sound of that, Ror," Finn beamed, and he shifted the SUV into drive and headed toward New York. The drive home was easy, having left at a perfect time to avoid the worst of traffic, and Finn and Rory talked about what they needed to do in order to get her settled into their apartment and ready for work on Monday. Rory was beside herself with excitement over starting her new job and couldn't wait for her first day in her first steady job with her first office. Sure, she'd had her job on the campaign trail, but that was always a job with a definite end-date coming at her, so it didn't feel as real to her.

They pulled up to Finn's apartment, parking her SUV in the spot Finn had reserved for her in the parking garage, and Finn quickly went inside to borrow the building's moving dolly to bring Rory's boxes in. As they approached the door for the first time, Finn stopped Rory abruptly and picked her up bridal style. He kicked open the door as she giggled at him.

"I thought this was what the groom did on the wedding night?" she laughed.

"Well, it seemed appropriate for tonight as well. You'll have to work with me here, Gilmore. I'm but a man who is madly in love with the most amazing woman in the world who hasn't yet figured out that she's far too good for me."

"You...are...perfect...for...me," she said, kissing a different spot on his cheeks, forehead, nose, and lips between words.

"And you are perfect for me as well. Welcome home, Ror," Finn told her as he kissed her deeply and then sat her back on her feet inside the apartment.

"I'm so glad to be home with you, Finn," Rory whispered, overwhelmed with happiness. When she'd moved in with Logan it had really been out of desperation and necessity, but she and Finn had made a voluntary decision to merge their lives and share a home.

Exhausted after moving everything in, they both plopped down unceremoniously on the couch and ordered Chinese food for dinner. After regaining some energy from their dinner, they worked together to unpack Rory's clothes and toiletries and rearranging their bedroom to suit them both before getting ready for bed.

Finn brushed his teeth as Rory washed her face and brushed her teeth, and once they were finished he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

"It's our first night in our bed, love," Finn whispered as he kissed her neck.

"We've slept in this bed before, Finn," Rory asked, obviously not picking up on what he was saying.

"Not when it was our bed, though. Then you were staying with me. Now this is our home that we share."

"Mmm...I like the sound of that. Say it again, baby."

"Our home," Finn muttered as he continued his trail of kisses further down her neck to her collarbone.

"You know, I think I might have just enough energy left to christen the bed for the first time since it became ours," Rory moaned as she melted into his kisses and touch.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate," Finn replied as he hovered over her. They took their time, making love in their bed, in their home, until they were both happily spent and lay tangled together.


	32. Chapter 32

Rory and Finn enjoyed a quiet breakfast together Saturday morning while waiting for Lorelai to arrive. Finn had insisted on sending a car for her so she didn't have to drive in New York City. They had spent Friday unpacking the rest of Rory's things, going grocery shopping, and relaxing together. It was a very odd but welcome experience for Rory, being able to do normal things and having Finn with her for them. She hadn't gone grocery shopping since she'd lived in Stars Hollow, and even then it wasn't for her own home. It was a huge change to have a home to come back to every night and adult responsibilities, but she had a feeling that she was going to like it very much.

Lorelai arrived a little after 10:00 that morning, making a true Lorelai Gilmore entrance while ranting about New York traffic and raving over Finn and Rory's beautiful apartment. After showing her around, the girls were off for a day of shopping, food and mother-daughter bonding in New York. The minute they were out the door, Finn snuck out of their apartment for his well-kept secret.

He arrived at the office quickly and took in the progress on Rory's new office. He wanted her to love the space, so his mom had helped him with the secret office makeover. He'd worked with Lorelai to provide his mom pictures of what Rory loved and she'd made arrangements to have the office painted and the furniture that she and Finn had picked out together via e-mail delivered while they were out of the country. He'd also had all of the decor and office supplies he picked out delivered. Now he just needed a few hours to arrange and decorate things like he wanted. He had only been looking around the office for a minute when the elevator dinged and his parents walked into Rory's office. When he'd told them about what he wanted to do for Rory they had been excited and insisted on helping.

"Mom, Dad!" Finn greeted his parents as they walked in and he hugged them. "Thank you guys so much for all of your help. I'm excited to finish today."

"We're happy to do it, son. Now, tell us all about your trip to Australia while we help you," Finnegan replied warmly. For the next few hours, Finn and his parents worked hard on rearranging furniture, hanging photos and curtains, placing knicknacks, and placing the other items Finn had purchased for Rory's office. Finn took a quick break when his phone rang.

"Hey there, love," he answered softly.

"Hey, baby. Mom and I are all shopped out and headed home. I know you'd mentioned possibly going into the office while I was gone. Are you home?"

"No, I'm in the office. Why don't you and your mom come meet me up here and you can show her your new office?"

"Ooh, that's a great idea! I really want to redecorate it at some point, and I'm sure she would love to help. I'm not much of one for plain white walls," Rory lamented. Finn had to fight the urge to laugh.

"Great idea, kitten. Why don't you guys go ahead and head up here? Just call me when you get here and I'll come let you in since you don't have your keys and security badge yet."

"Sounds great. I'll see you shortly. Love you."

"Love you, too, Ror," Finn answered quietly, but apparently not so quietly that his parents couldn't hear him.

"So it's getting serious," Amelia asked hopefully after Finn had hung up the phone.

"Define serious," Finn chuckled.

"You love her?" she asked.

"Very much so."

"And you two are living together?"

"We are," Finn answered.

"And how does she feel about you?"

"She loves me," Finn said, suddenly blushing a bit. "When we first started dating, I asked her where home was since she was on the campaign bus, and she told me she didn't know. On the beach in Australia, she told me that she'd figured it out, the her home was with me."

"Oh, Finny! You don't know this, but that's what I told your dad back when we were dating. He was faced with possibly having to move, and he asked me if I would ever consider leaving home. I told him that home was wherever he was." Amelia exclaimed, hugging her son happily. "She's good for you, son."

"She really is, Mom. I could see myself marrying her someday," Finn admitted for the first time.

"Your mom and I would certainly be delighted to welcome her to the family someday down the road, son," Finnegan added.

"Perhaps your mom and I could take the three of you out to dinner tonight? We would love to get to know Rory and Lorelai better," Finnegan asked just before Finn's phone rang.

"That would be great, Dad," Finn answered as he left the room and got in the elevator to go meet Lorelai and Rory in front of the building. He led them back into the elevator and steered them to Rory's office. The door was closed so she couldn't see her surprise until they got into her office. Finn opened the door and stood back, watching her expression change to shock and a huge smile come across her face.

"Wow...this is...what did...wow!" Rory breathed out.

"You don't say, kitten?" Finn chuckled.

"Did you do this?" she asked him.

"We all had a part in it. Your mom supplied the ideas for what you like, my mom and I picked out the furniture and paint color, she hired the painters, and Mom and Dad helped me finish everything up today," Finn beamed.

"Thank you all so, so much," Rory stammered. "This is...this is incredible! I wouldn't change a thing."

She turned to take in the entire office. The walls were a beautiful ocean blue with white crown molding. The new furniture was a beautiful mahogany with clean lines. The curtains were a beautiful navy and grey Moroccan pattern, and there was a coordinating plush rug on the floor. There were photos of her family and friends hanging on the walls and on the bookshelves, including many of her and Finn. She recognized some souvenirs that must have come from their trip to Australia. There was a small kangaroo, a coral reef snowglobe, and a small Australian flag. From the early part of their relationship, there was a small canvas painting of the chicago skyline and a miniature carousel. There was an iPhone docking and charging station with speakers on her desk along with a beautiful desk set that matched the office decor perfectly. She opened her desk drawers to find that they had been fully stocked with her favorite ink pens, note pads, Post-Its, paper clips, and everything else she could possibly need. In the corner of her office was a mini fridge already filled with coffee creamer and snacks, and near the fridge was her own coffee pot with a cabinet full of her favorite coffee.

Rory turned to look at the wall opposite her desk and her breath caught in her throat. There was a stunning five-canvas print hanging on the wall. The gorgeous colors from sunset on the beach contrasted beautifully with the blue on the walls. The focal point was she and Finn cuddled together on the beach, looking out at the sunset. The picture was taken from behind them, and it captured their time there perfectly.

"Finn…" she breathed, tears flooding her eyes. "It's perfect."

"I wanted you to be able to remember that night," Finn replied softly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"You are amazing, Finn. I say that all the time, but...thank you. I love you," she told him sincerely. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly.

"I love you, Ror, so very much," Finn replied.

The three adults watched the young couple standing in front of them and all had one thought. Those two were perfect for each other, and there was no doubt that they had the kind of love that would last them a lifetime.


	33. Chapter 33

Finn, Rory, Lorelai, Finnegan and Amelia all met for dinner at Carmine's Italian Restaurant on the upper west side. Apparently Finnegan and Amelia were regulars there, and they were greeted warmly and seated quickly. Finnegan insisted on ordering a celebratory bottle of wine for the table, and after ordering appetizers and entrees the group settled into easy conversation.

"Lorelai, how are you doing with Rory moving to the City?" Amelia asked. "I know how much I love having Finn close to us."

"It's better than having her gallivanting around the country on a campaign bus, neglecting her life-giver," Lorelai quipped, causing both Finnegan and Amelia to chuckle.

"Mom…" Rory warned, knowing exactly where Lorelai was going with this.

"I mean, that's the respect I get from the fruit of my loins," Lorelai went on.

"Mother!" Rory whispered harshly as the Morgans all started laughing heartily.

"Oh, Lorelai. Your wit is so charming," Finnegan managed to say while he was still laughing.

"And also so embarrassing, apparently," Rory lamented.

"And fits in perfectly in this family," Amelia told Rory. "Please, relax, dear. Our family is quite quirky as well, so you and your mom fit in perfectly."

"Amelia's right, hopefully you will be able to meet the rest of the family soon and see just how well you would fit in," Finnegan added.

"Oh, yes! That reminds me - could we possibly lure you two away to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family?" Amelia asked.

"You...you would want us to spend Thanksgiving with your family?" Rory asked, surprised.

"Well, of course, dear. You're practically part of the family. Our family wouldn't be complete without you there," Amelia told her sweetly.

"Wow...I...wow," Rory replied quietly. "That is so incredibly sweet," Rory told the Morgans, a bit overwhelmed with emotion. Lorelai noticed the emotion in her daughter's face and jumped in to save her from having to speak while she was on the verge of happy tears.

"I think we could make sure we have time in our day to see you all," Lorelai told them.

"Oh, wonderful!" Amelia squealed. "You just let us know what time you can make it up and we'll work our schedule around you."

"Rory, are you excited about your first Christmas season in New York?" Finnegan asked. "Amelia always loves New York at Christmas."

"I really am, Finnegan. I can't wait to see the tree and go skating at Rockefeller Center, and 5th Avenue all decked out for the holidays, and the city covered in snow!" Rory gushed.

"Ah, good things happen when it snows," Lorelai added.

"I've always told Finnegan the same thing!" Amelia chuckled as she playfully nudged him.

Their entrees were delivered, and the easy conversation continued through dinner. Just before dessert was served, Rory excused herself.

"If you'll excuse me for a moment," she addressed the table.

"Everything okay, kitten?" Finn asked.

"Just going to try to find the restroom," Rory whispered into his ear.

"I'll show you, love," Finn told her. Rory and Finn walked away from the table, leaving the adults alone.

"We adore Rory, Lorelai," Amelia gushed. "We think she and Finn are so good together."

"They really are. I'm so thrilled that they've found each other," Lorelai agreed.

"I want to assure you that we consider Rory to already be a part of the family. We would certainly understand if you had some misgivings about Rory being seriously involved with someone from society, but our family is nothing like the Huntzbergers. Finn told us about how they treated Rory, and we find it deplorable. We would be overjoyed to officially welcome her to the Morgan family," Finnegan assured her.

"I...thank you. That really does mean a lot. And knowing my daughter and seeing her with your son, I think it's almost certain that she will become a Morgan in the not-so-far future," Lorelai told them both.

"After seeing those two together, we certainly agree," Amelia beamed as the young couple re-entered the dining room.

The group continued to laugh and get to know each other better during dessert, parting with with hugs and promises to have Lorelai and Luke up for another visit soon.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Rory awoke early Monday morning, excited for her first day at her new job. She and Finn went for an early-morning run before returning to their apartment to shower and eat breakfast. Rory was practically bouncing from foot-to-foot as she waited for Finn to put on his tie and grab his wallet, phone, and keys.

They walked the couple of blocks to the office together, and when they arrived she got her security ID and company badge and keys. Rory smiled as she greeted her secretary.

"Good morning, Amy. A little birdie told me that you like coffee almost as much as I do," Rory said as she sat a to-go cup of coffee on Amy's desk.

"Wow, thank you, Miss Gilmore. That's so nice of you!"

"Again, Amy, it's Rory. Please don't call me Miss Gilmore," Rory chuckled.

"Absolutely, Rory," Amy said with a laugh. "There have already been a couple of deliveries for you this morning; I set them in your office."

"Thank you," Rory told her warmly.

"By the way, your office looks amazing. When in the world did you have time to do that?" Amy asked.

"Finn actually did that as a surprise," Rory beamed.

"You're a lucky, lucky woman," Amy gushed.

"I really, really am," Rory replied as she walked into her office and once again marveled over the transformation Finn had made. Then she noticed the newest additions sitting on her sideboard. She walked over and looked at them, smiling as she read the cards. There was a cookie bouquet from her mom and Luke and a beautiful arrangement of sunflowers from Finnegan and Amelia.

Rory settled in and then spent most of the morning sitting in on meetings in order to glean information that she needed in order to get started with her job. Finnegan sat down with her and went over expectations and responsibilities while IT set up her laptop and e-mail. She was surprised to find that she already had several dozen e-mails waiting for her attention. She spent quite a bit of time making notes in her new planner as she filtered through the emails, sending replies when necessary, and then okayed the copy for the job postings for her staff so they could go live. She looked up at her clock and saw the time - 11:40. As she looked around her office, she realized that she didn't have anything else to do, and suddenly she panicked. What would people think about her if they walked by her office on her first day and saw that she wasn't doing anything. People would think that she only got her job because of her boyfriend! She was just working herself into a panic when Finn knocked on her door and walked in.

"Hey, kitten. How's it...what's wrong?" he asked, concerned when he saw her face. He closed the door behind him and walked over to her desk, kneeling down next to her.

"I don't have anything to do right now, Finn. What if people walk by and they see that I'm not working? They'll assume that I only got this job because of my boyfriend!" Rory ranted, nearing a panic attack.

"Look at me, Ror," Finn instructed her as he tipped her chin up so her eyes met his. First of all, everyone here knows exactly why you got your job, and how you earned it. Second of all, it's only your first day. Of course you don't have tons of work to do! You'll get your bearings and before you know it you'll find yourself with more than enough work to fill your day. Now, you're going to let your secretary know that you're going out and you're going to let your exotic boyfriend take you out to lunch to celebrate your first day at your new job."

"You don't have to do that, baby," Rory protested as she came back from the edge.

"I know I don't have to; I want to, silly girl," Finn told her as he kissed her nose.

"Okay, lunch, and then I'll handle the afternoon afterwards," Rory replied, much calmer now.


	34. Chapter 34

Rory had finally settled into her new job, much to her relief, and had found that Finn was right - she had more than enough work to keep her busy. She had spent the last two weeks sifting through resumes, setting up and conducting interviews, and working with the new graphic design team in order to get some mock-ups of logos and artwork for the new magazine. She was busier than she'd ever been at work, but she loved every minute of it.

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been a bit concerned about how working with her boyfriend would work out, but it was going extremely well. They walked to work together in the morning, often stopping for coffee or breakfast on the way, and had lunch together most days. Finn was so sweet about peeking in on her and making sure that she didn't forget to come up for air when she needed a break.

She had fallen in easily with everyone at work and was pleasantly surprised that she didn't hear any grumblings from anyone claiming that she only got her job because of her connections to the Morgan family. In fact, it seemed that everyone in the office was well aware of the events preceding her job offer and welcomed her with open arms. Rory had no doubt that she'd made the right decision in choosing this job over the offer from the Times.

Now it was Thanksgiving and Finn and Rory were ready to enjoy a long weekend and time with their families. They were driving to Stars Hollow on Wednesday evening so they could celebrate with an early lunch at the Dragonfly, and then they would drive back to New York to celebrate with Finn's family that evening. The inn was already buzzing with activity when Finn and Rory walked downstairs from their room at the inn on Thursday morning, but Lorelai spotted them as soon as they were at the bottom of the stairs.

"If it isn't my big-city daughter and her Aussie boyfriend!" Lorelai squealed as they walked in.

"Mom! Happy Thanksgiving!" Rory replied as she embraced her mom for an over-exuberant hug.

The two women broke their embrace and Lorelai moved to Finn.

"And happy Thanksgiving to you too, daughter's boyfriend!" Lorelai chuckled as they hugged.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Lorelai. What can we do to help you?"

"Well, I certainly wouldn't turn down some help with putting tablecloths on and setting the tables if you really don't mind."

"Lead the way," Finn replied, eager to help.

"I really like this one, Ror. Please tell me he can be the son-in-law someday?" Lorelai pleaded teasingly.

"Mom! He's right there!" Rory scolded.

"I'll see what I can do about that at some point, Lorelai," Finn turned around and replied with a wink, rendering both woman speechless. Rory finally broke the silence after Finn was out of earshot.

"Did he just say…"

"He did, sweets."

"Wow," Rory whispered.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a little surprised. I mean, it's only logical that marriage is on the table since we're living together and talking about buying a place together before long. It's just...neither of us had ever actually said anything about it."

"And how do you feel now that your mommy opened her big mouth?"

"I feel...good. Happy. Like I wouldn't need to make a pro/con list," Rory replied with a smile.

"Whoa. That's big, kiddo. So when Logan proposed you needed the list and 24 hours to consider and still said no, but now…"

"I'd have an answer as soon as the words were out of his mouth." Rory confirmed, which prompted much squealing and hugging between mother and daughter.

"Everything okay over there, ladies?" Finn asked from across the room.

"Everything's great. Just having a moment," Rory chuckled.

"Well, you could at least come help your future son-in-law with the tablecloths while you're having a moment," Finn joked, unfortunately just as Richard and Emily walked in the room.

"You're getting married?!" Emily asked excitedly.

"No! Grandma, Grandpa, hi. No, we were just joking around. Finn and I are not engaged," Rory corrected.

"Well, I hardly think that's a joking matter. Really, you two are living together, so is it such a stretch for us to think that there might be a wedding soon? I don't understand you kids today; this is not the way things are supposed to happen," Emily scolded.

"Now, Emily. Leave the kids alone. They're happy, and that's what matters," Richard boomed.

"I'm simply saying that there's a way these things are supposed to happen," Emily huffed.

"Mom, Finn and Rory can make their own decisions as to when or if they get married. Let's just enjoy our Thanksgiving," Lorelai replied, trying to diffuse the situation.

"I don't understand why he would call himself the future son-in-law if he didn't intend to marry her," Emily continued ranting.

"Rory, why don't you go help Sookie in the kitchen," Lorelai instructed her daughter, giving her a pointed look to run while she could. Rory quickly left for the kitchen while she could.

"Look, Mom. I made a joke about how much I liked Finn and asking if he could be my son-in-law someday and we were making jokes because of that. Just...take a deep breath and drop it," Lorelai pacified her mother.

"She's 25 years old, Lorelai. It's time for her to start thinking about settling down."

"She's pretty darn settled, Mom. She has a job, a boyfriend who loves her, and a gorgeous apartment to come home to."

"I suppose she does," Emily conceded hesitantly.

"And that boyfriend who loves her would love to become a husband sometime down the road, but we're not ready yet, so please don't put any pressure on Rory. She's had a lot of changes in a very short timeframe. Just support her and be happy for her," Finn added firmly, effectively ending the argument.

"Well, I suppose we can agree to that, can't we, Richard?" Emily replied with a cheshire cat grin.

"Indeed we can, my dear," Richard agreed.

"How do you handle my parents like that? You have to teach me!" Lorelai whispered in Finn's ear as the elder Gilmores walked away to get drinks.

"It's a special skill, honed by years of watching my parents handle society," Finn chuckled. "Stick around and I'm sure you'll learn a few things."


	35. Chapter 35

"Mom? Dad?" Finn called as he, Rory, Luke, and Lorelai walked into his parents' house that evening to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Morgan family.

"We're in the kitchen, dear!" Amelia called back.

Finn lead the way into the kitchen and warmly greeted his family.

"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Mom and Dad, you know everyone but Lorelai's husband, Luke. Annabelle and Eva, this is my beautiful girlfriend, Rory, her mom, Lorelai, and her stepdad, Luke," he introduced the Gilmore-Danes clan. "And this is Annabelle and her husband, Greg, and Eva and her husband, Kyle."

"It's so nice to meet you all. I've heard so much about you from Finn," Rory replied warmly.

"And it's lovely to meet the woman who our brother has fallen head-over-heels for for," Annabelle replied with a sincere smile. "Finn, you told us she was gorgeous, but I still don't think your description did her justice."

Rory blushed and buried her head in Finn's chest.

"Aw, and she really is adorable when she blushes!" Eva squealed happily.

"I told you that she was," Finn chuckled.

"Finnegan and Amelia, thank you again for inviting us to spend Thanksgiving with your family," Lorelai jumped in, hoping to save her daughter from permanently turning a lovely shade of red.

"Oh, we're just so thrilled that you could come! We consider you all to be family," Amelia winked.

"We certainly appreciate how welcoming and kind you've been to all of us," Lorelai continued.

"It appears that dinner is ready - shall we all go sit down?" Amelia asked.

The group filed into the dining room and took their seats at the table. They all filled their plates and Finnegan offered a toast.

"To many more holidays with our extended family who we love like our own," he offered with a wink towards Rory.

"To family," they all replied, clinking glasses and sipping their wine.

Rory blushed and leaned over to Finn.

"Do your parents really think of me as family?" she whispered, grateful the the other conversations going on around the room so she wasn't heard.

"They do," Finn replied quietly.

"That's...wow."

"Your mom thinks of me as family. In fact, if I recall correctly, she wants to make me her son-in-law," he teased.

"I still say it's frightening that you and my mom get along so well," she chuckled.

"And I say my family would disown me and adopt you if I ever let you go," Finn countered.

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to keep me around," Rory replied with a smile.

"I'm thinking forever would be perfect," Finn whispered in her ear, his words taking her by surprise.

Rory put her fork down and looked at Finn.

"You're serious?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, I'm not asking right now - when I do propose it will be a moment to remember - but yeah, I'm serious," he replied sincerely.

Unable to find words to express what she was feeling, she simply leaned over and hugged Finn tightly. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"I'm guessing that would be okay with you?" he whispered.

"More than okay," she replied, tears welling up in her eyes. It may have only been about three months, but she'd never been so certain of anything in her life.

Finn kissed her forehead and cheeks and then captured her lips again, both completely oblivious to the stares of everyone else at the table.

"I think we just missed a moment," Amelia teased, causing Rory to blush more deeply.

"Care to share with the class?" Lorelai asked.

"Actually, I don't," Rory giggled, leaning further into Finn's embrace and snuggling into his chest.

"Oh my god, you were right about them, Mom and Dad! They're perfect together. I didn't think I would ever see my little brother like this!" Annabelle chuckled.

"Well, I didn't think I'd ever get a chance with a woman like this," Finn replied warmly.

The group returned to their Thanksgiving dinner and lively conversation, and before Finn knew it they were saying goodbye at the front door.

"Rory, dear, the girls and I are going Black Friday shopping tomorrow morning. We would love for you to join us," Amelia offered.

"Actually, that would be great," Rory accepted graciously. "What time?"

"We'll pick you up at 8:00. We may love Black Friday, but we don't stand in line all night or leave too early."

"Smart women!" Rory chuckled. "That would be great. I'll see you guys in the morning."

Rory turned to Finn. "I'm going to walk my mom and Luke out. I'll meet you at the car?" Rory asked.

"Of course, kitten," Finn replied.

Rory walked out the door with Lorelai and Luke and Finn found himself surrounded by his family, each of them looking at him expectantly.

"You three better be nice to my girl tomorrow," Finn admonished his mom and sisters.

"Oh, Finn. You know we love her!" his mother replied.

"Still...don't scare her off. I'd like to keep her around," he admitted.

"Oh, our little brother has found his lobster!" Eva squealed happily, clapping her hands and jumping up and down with Annabelle.

"You two are ridiculous," Finn chuckled.

"Are you saying we're wrong?" Annabelle pressed.

"No, I'm not saying that at all," Finn said sheepishly.

"Oh my gosh!" Eva exclaimed. "I knew it from the way you talk about her!"

"And again, please try not to scare her off tomorrow," he repeated.

"Oh please, that girl would marry you in a heartbeat if you asked her," Annabelle argued.

"I know," Finn replied with a broad grin.

"Oh my god, is that what you guys were being so mushy over?! It is, isn't it? Did you ask her to marry you?" Eva gushed.

"No, I did not ask her to marry me, but we were discussing forever," Finn replied evasively.

"And?" Annabelle asked.

"And there will be one," Finn grinned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go home with my beautiful girlfriend."

"Stop right there; we don't want to know what happens after that," Eva ordered.

"No worries there, sis. I'll see you all tomorrow morning," Finn laughed. He turned to walk out the door and Finnegan put his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Your grandmother's ring is in the safe; you just let me know when you'd like it," Finnegan said with a wink and a proud smile.

"Will do, Dad," Finn nodded.


	36. Chapter 36

Rory woke up Friday morning and was excited, and perhaps a bit nervous, to spend time with Finn's mom and sisters. She loved his family, but she was still a bit gun shy after the great Huntzberger shanghai. Still, she was determined to enjoy this day. It was true that none of them needed to go black Friday shopping - they all had enough money to buy whatever they wanted at full price - but it was still fun to enjoy the craziness of the day. Rory had always loved black Friday.

She kissed Finn and rolled out of bed, showering and dressing quickly. She walked out of the bathroom to see Finn standing there with two cups of coffee in his hand.

"You are so good to me," she said gratefully as she took a cup of coffee and sipped it. "And you make amazing coffee. Seriously, Luke is the only other person who makes coffee this good."

"I think it's a requirement when living with Rory Gilmore," Finn chuckled. "Are you excited about today?"

"Yeah, mostly. I guess I'm just still a little nervous that they don't really like me," Rory admitted quietly.

"That's rubbish, love. My mom and sisters adore you."

"You're right, and I really do love them too, Finn. I'm just going to relax and enjoy the day. What are you going to do while I'm gone?"

"I thought I might go to the gym and work out, and perhaps have lunch with my dad. It's been a while since he and I have spent time together just the two of us."

"Well, I hope you have fun. I'll miss you," Rory whispered.

"I'll miss you too," Finn replied right as the doorbell rang.

Finn and Rory walked to the door together and answered it to find his mom and sisters on the other side.

"Hey, guys!" Rory greeted them warmly.

"Hey, Rory. You ready?" Eva asked.

"Yep, I just need to grab my purse. One second."

Rory walked over to get her purse and smiled as Finn returned from the kitchen with a thermos of coffee.

"I thought you might need this today," he said sweetly.

"You know me too well," Rory chuckled. "Alright, I'll see you later?"

"I'll be here by the time you get home. I love you, Ror," Finn whispered.

"I love you, too," Rory replied happily. She sighed in contentment as Finn pulled her close to him and kissed her tenderly. He pulled away and she quickly moved back to kiss him again. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself," she said as she blushed.

"Don't ever apologize for kissing me. Have a great day."

"You too, baby. I'll see you later," Rory said before joining the Morgan women and walking out the door.

"You two are so adorable," Annabelle swooned as they walked toward the elevator.

"It just comes naturally with Finn," Rory replied shyly. "He's just so...I don't know. Real, sweet, romantic, caring. He's amazing."

"Well, I for one am glad that he found you. You two are good for each other," Amelia added. "So, where to first, ladies?"

"Fifth Avenue!" Eva squealed, and everyone else nodded their agreement.

"Son, I must say I'm a bit surprised to see you today, given that we just had dinner last night," Finnegan said as he sat down across the table from his son for lunch.

"Well, it's been a bit since we've had the opportunity to have lunch just the two of us, so I thought it would be nice to do while the girls are all out shopping."

They paused in their conversation to order their drinks and meals and then Finnegan picked right back up where they were.

"Have you heard from the girls today?" Finnegan asked.

"Yeah, Rory's sent me a few texts, and I've seen the pictures they've posted on Facebook. Mom and the girls have dubbed her an honorary Morgan," Finn chuckled.

"Honorary, eh? That wouldn't have anything to do with why you wanted to have lunch, would it?" Finegan asked slyly. Finn cleared his throat and smiled at his dad.

"It does, actually. I'm not going to propose today or anything, but I want to make that woman my wife."

"Your mom and I couldn't possibly be happier about welcoming her to the family at some point in the future," Finnegan replied proudly. "She's a fine young woman; seeing the two of you reminds me of your mom and I when we were young."

"I know it sounds crazy. We've only been together for about three months, but I just...I know it's right."

"You don't have to convince me, son. Your mom and I were together less than six months before we got married, and I think that's turned out splendidly."

"So you guys are really behind me on this?" Finn asked.

Finnegan reached in his pocket and took out a box before sliding it across the table toward Finn.

"We're really behind you on this, Finn. We couldn't be happier for you two, and we have no doubt that you have what it takes to make it. Your mom knew it the day she met Rory."

"Wow," Finn whispered.

"So, have you decided how you'd like to propose?" Finnegan asked.

"No, not yet. It won't be immediately or anything; I just want to be prepared when the time is right. I know that it needs to be special, and it needs to be private," Finn replied as he opened the box and looked at the rings inside. He smiled as he saw them.

"I think your grandma's rings will suit Rory perfectly."

"I think you're right, Dad. They're perfect for her - beautiful but not gaudy."

"Well, just let me know if there's anything that I can do to help you prepare for the proposal, and let us know when you decide to do it. Your mom will be over-the-moon when she hears that you have the rings and are planning something."

"I'll keep you in the loop. Make sure she doesn't spill the news, though," Finn chuckled. "She's never been the best with secrets."

"I'll see to it that your surprise is kept as such," Finnegan replied as their meals were delivered to the table.


	37. Chapter 37

November had turned to December, and life at the office was more than hectic. Rory was working hard to train her staff and prepare for the launch of the new magazine, and Finn was putting in long hours working on expansion and acquisitions. Rory had made it a point to get home in time for dinner every night, hoping to spend time with Finn, but she had ended up sitting home eating takeout. It had been two weeks since they'd spent any real time together when they were both awake, and Rory's old fears of not being enough were resurfacing. It felt like every man who had ever walked away from her all over again - her dad, Jess, Logan - and it hurt. She knew that she wasn't exactly being rational, but all hope of logic seemed to be out the window at the moment.

Finally, having had enough, she dried her eyes and decided that it was time to do something to help herself feel better. She grabbed her keys and wallet and walked down to the grocery store on the corner. As she was standing there trying to choose between the rocky road or the mint chocolate chip, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Hey, Ace. I didn't expect to see you here."

She turned to see Logan standing there watching her. Suddenly self-conscious about her red, swollen eyes and old Yale sweats and sweatshirt, she wrapped her arms around herself tightly.

"Oh hey, Logan. What are you doing?" she asked politely.

"I'm just grabbing something for dinner. What about you? Red eyes, you've obviously been crying, and you're standing here looking at the ice cream case like it's your last friend in the world. If I didn't know better I'd say you were wallowing," Logan said softly. She could see the concern in his eyes.

"It's...complicated, I guess. I might be wallowing a little bit," Rory whispered, trying desperately to avoid breaking down right there in the middle of the grocery store.

"Well, I do know that you're never supposed to wallow alone; having a sister taught me a few things about women. Grab the rocky road and the mint chocolate chip and let's get out of here, Ace," Logan said sweetly.

"Oh, Logan. That's so sweet of you, but you really don't have to. I'll be fine," Rory croaked out, once again on the verge of tears.

"I know you better than that, Rory," Logan said sternly. "I'm not taking no for an answer. Grab the ice cream and we'll head to my place for movies. You shouldn't be alone when you're this upset," Logan insisted.

Rory considered her options for a minute. She really didn't want to sit at home alone yet again, and she needed a friend right now. Logan had been supportive of her relationship with Finn since her birthday, so she didn't see any harm in taking him up on his offer.

She gave Logan a small smile and nodded gratefully. "Alright, I guess it's a deal."

She grabbed both cartons of ice cream and followed Logan to the checkout, where he insisted on paying for her ice cream along with his dinner. They walked the few short blocks back to Logan's apartment and she followed him up to the penthouse suite.

"Nice place," Rory said awkwardly as they walked in the door.

"Thanks. I guess you hadn't seen my place in New York, had you?" he asked.

Rory shook her head.

"No, you got it after we…" Rory trailed off.

"Broke up," Logan finished for her. "You know you can say it, Rory. I've made peace with the situation now."

Rory relaxed and smiled at him.

"Thanks. I just wasn't sure how you were doing with everything," she said softly.

"I'm fine, Rory, really. Now, if you'll excuse me for a minute, I'm going to go change out of my suit and I'll be right back."

Logan sat his phone and keys down on the kitchen island next to Rory and walked down the hall, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Just as she was about to put the ice cream in the freezer, his phone dinged with an incoming text. Before she even realized what she was doing, she glanced at the screen and froze when she read the message.

 _Hey, Mate. Colin and I are headed out for drinks at our favorite bar again tonight. Might as well make it seven nights in a row Want to join us? -F_

She choked back the sudden onslaught of emotions that she felt - betrayal, anger, hurt. She knew he'd been in the office late, but she had no idea he'd been going out with his friends every night instead of coming home to her. He'd crawled into bed after she was asleep every night for the last week, and now she knew why.

Logan walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later and instantly noticed the change in her demeanor.

"Hey, did something happen, Ace? You look...well, you look like you're even more upset than when I left the kitchen."

She quickly schooled her features and willed herself not to cry.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just going to use your restroom if you don't mind," she answered quietly.

Logan looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened, but finally nodded.

"Sure, it's the second door on the left. I'll put on a movie."

She started to walk away, but turned back around to face him again.

"By the way, your phone went off while you were gone," she said sadly before she continued to walk toward the bathroom.

Logan watched her go and then turned his attention to his phone. He unlocked it and quickly read the text from his best friend. He fired off a quick response before slipping it back in his pocket.

 _I'm going to bow out tonight, man. I have something else going on. -L_

Logan walked to his entertainment center and quickly located The Godfather, which he knew was one of Rory's favorite movies, and put it in the DVD player. Rory walked back out of the restroom right as he turned around, and it was obvious that she'd been crying again.

Logan walked over to her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Hey, what's going on?" he whispered.

She sobbed for a minute before she composed herself enough to answer.

"I just...I don't want to talk about it right now, if that's okay," Rory said as she sniffled.

"Okay, that's fine," Logan agreed as he released her from his embrace. "Movie and ice cream?" he asked.

"Can we add some alcohol into the equation?" she asked.

"Of course," Logan chuckled. "Pick your poison."

"Tequila shots?"

"This is serious. Tequila shots and ice cream coming up, Ace. Have a seat and I'll be right back with our provisions."


	38. Chapter 38

Logan looked over at the woman sitting next to him on his couch. They'd finished watching The Godfather somewhere around halfway through the bottle of tequila, and she had insisted on watching _Sleepless in Seattle_ next. Rory was quoting the movie word-for-word and crying quietly as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan found their way to each other. She'd had far more tequila than he had, and he was amazed that she was still upright. He turned the television volume down and turned toward her.

"Do you want to talk about what's going on now, Ace?" he asked.

"I'm not enough, Logan. I'm never enough, and they all leave," Rory whispered.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"My dad left, Jess left, you left, and now Finn's going to leave me," she sobbed.

"Finn isn't going to leave you, Rory. He's crazy about you," Logan said firmly.

She reached for the tequila bottle and he snatched it up before she could get it, handing her a bottle of water instead.

"You need to drink water, not more tequila," he insisted.

"But maybe if I drink more tequila it won't hurt as badly," she whispered.

Logan's heart broke for her; she looked so broken and fragile in that moment.

"Why do you think Finn's going to leave you?" Logan asked.

Rory looked up at him and took a deep breath.

"They always do, Logan. I get close and then they leave. I'm not enough to keep anyone around," she said quietly as tears streamed from her eyes.

"You know that's not true, Rory. You're more than enough; some of us are just too stupid to realize what we have and then we spend years regretting that we walked away," he answered honestly. "That still doesn't tell me why you think Finn's going to leave you, though."

"He hasn't come home until after the bars close down for the last week. He told me he was working; but I guess he's been out drinking with you guys. He lied to me, Logan. I feel like I'm living with a stranger right now," Rory answered dejectedly.

Logan took a deep breath and gave himself a moment to think through what Rory was telling him. Obviously he knew that Finn had been closing down the bars for the last week, because he'd been right there with him. He didn't realize that Finn had been lying to Rory, though. He would be really upset too if he were in her shoes, and he didn't know what to do to help her. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He was just about to speak when Rory continued her rant.

"I mean, if he's lying to me about that, what else is he lying to me about? Is there someone else? Does he really love me? Is this all just a joke to him?" she asked angrily.

Logan swallowed hard. This was the closest he'd gotten to seeing how Rory must have been during the bridesmaid debacle, and he hated the idea that he could have done this to her, too. She was sobbing openly and before Logan could stop himself, he gathered her into his arms and held her while she cried on his chest. He stroked her hair and rubbed her back soothingly, whispering comforting words in her ear.

"Hey, everything's going to be okay, Ace. I'm sure that he's just been stressed and blowing off some steam. He loves you, and there's no way he would ever cheat on you."

Rory just sobbed harder, her body shaking in his arms.

"How do you know that? I feel like I don't even know him anymore," she choked out.

"Rory, he's my best friend. I know him, and I know he would never do that to you," Logan said in an attempted to reassure her.

"But he'd lie to me?" she whispered. "Where's the line? What kinds of lying are okay?"

Logan sighed and silently cursed his best friend for putting Rory, and by extension him, in this situation. There was really nothing for Logan to say to make it better because when it came right down to it, he didn't understand what Finn was doing at the moment. As someone who had loved and lost Rory Gilmore, he knew that he would do anything in his power to make her happy and to show her how much he cared about her if given half the chance. Suddenly he found himself just as angry at Finn as Rory was.

He pushed down all of the emotions that he was feeling and looked down at the woman who was crying in his arms. She was curled up on his lap and clinging to him for dear life. Even with her red, swollen eyes, she still was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He continued to comfort her as much as possible until she finally fell asleep in his arms. He watched her sleeping peacefully for a minute and finally got up and carried her into his bedroom. He laid her down in his bed and pulled the covers up over her. He was certain that she would wake up with one hell of a hangover in the morning, so he retrieved two aspirin and a bottle of water and sat them on the nightstand next to her so she would have them when she woke up.

He watched her sleep for another few minutes and swallowed hard. Everything that he wanted in life was lying right there in his bed. This was the hardest decision of his life. Did he crawl in bed next to her and relish a night of having her in his arms? Did he wake up next to her tomorrow morning, help her mend her broken heart, and promise her that he would spend every day for the rest of his life making sure that he treated her the way that she deserved if she would only give him a chance?


	39. Chapter 39

Finn got home around two o'clock in the morning and closed the door behind him quietly. He was hoping not to wake Rory up when he slipped into bed. He stumbled through the dark living room, almost falling several times. There was probably more scotch than blood in his bloodstream at this point. He walked into their bedroom and was shocked to find that Rory wasn't there. He sighed and made his way around the house, checking each room for his girlfriend. His fear and confusion mounted each time he found a room empty. He suddenly sobered up a bit when he checked the last room and still hadn't found her. This wasn't like her at all.

"Rory?" he called loudly. "Rory? Are you there?" he slurred. No answer.

He plucked his phone from his pocket and dialed her number only to hear her phone ringing from the living room. He walked in and found her phone sitting there next to the couch. He unlocked it and glanced through her messages for a clue as to her whereabouts, but there was nothing helpful there. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he tried to figure out where she might be. He somehow steadied himself enough to walk back out to the parking garage only to find that her car was still there. As he walked back into their building, he stopped at the front desk.

"Mr. Morgan, is there something we can help you with this morning?" the night doorman, George, asked.

"There is, George. Did you happen to see Miss Gilmore leave tonight?" he asked.

"I did, sir. It must have been around seven o'clock," George replied.

"And she hasn't returned?" Finn prodded.

"No, sir. I haven't seen her since," George confirmed.

"I see. Was she carrying anything with her when she left?"

"No, sir. She only had her keys in her hand. I thought it was odd because she always has her purse, and she never goes out wearing sweats, and she looked quite upset," George replied.

"Interesting. Thank you, George. If you see her, please let me know right away," Finn requested before getting into the elevator and riding it back up to his apartment.

He threw his keys down on the table next to the front door and thought through his options. He was worried about Rory and concerned about her being so upset, but he was hardly in any shape to go look for her. Frankly, he wouldn't know where to start looking anyway. He knew she wasn't in Stars Hollow, since her car was here. Unable to hold himself upright any longer, he finally fell onto the couch and instantly fell into a deep, drunk sleep. Trying to figure out where Rory was would have to wait until the next day.

Finn woke up with a raging headache and very little memory of why he was sleeping on the couch. He stood up and felt his way into the kitchen, downing two aspirin and a bottle of water before walking to his bedroom. He instantly remembered the previous evening when he saw the empty bed, still made up from the previous morning. Rory hadn't been home when he'd stumbled through the door. All of the fear and confusion and anger came flooding back to him with perfect clarity. They needed to talk, but he couldn't bring himself to start the conversation and explain what was going through his head; he was too scared that he would lose her if they went down that road. Had he already lost her? He couldn't think about that at the moment.

Desperate to at least see her with his own eyes and ensure that she was okay, he showered and changed for work. He stopped on the way to the office and grabbed a cup of coffee for himself and one for Rory - he hoped it could serve as a bit of an olive branch. He walked into the office and headed straight for her door, but Amy stopped him on his way.

"Miss Gilmore is out sick today, Mr. Morgan," she informed him.

"Out sick?" Finn asked in confusion. "Did she call?"

"Yes, she did, sir. She said she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be in today. She let me know she would be available on her cell phone by mid-morning," Amy confirmed.

Finn just stared blankly at her for a moment, trying to take in this new information.

"Thank you, Amy. I appreciate your help," he said softly. This just multiplied his fears and worry. They'd been doing so well until he found out that she was keeping such a huge, life-altering piece of information from him. He couldn't help but get angry that she showed no concern for him when she chose to leave him in the dark, acting as though she was the only one affected.

If she was going to be available on her cell phone that meant she would have to go home to get it, so he made a quick decision to go home and meet her there. Just as he turned to walk toward the elevator, his dad stopped him.

"There you are, son. I need you on the jet to that new location we've been trying to acquire - I think we've come to an agreement on the purchase and we need to sign the papers before they change their mind," Finnegan told him.

Finn sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Is there anyone else who can go, Dad? I really need to be here right now," Finn pleaded.

"I'm sorry, son, but it needs to be you. The jet is fueled and waiting, and you'll get there just in time to meet with the other party. You should be home by tomorrow night, but we need you to leave now," Finnegan insisted.

Finn quickly resigned himself to his fate.

"Alright, sure. I'll run home and pack my bag and be on my way to the airstrip," he consented.

"There's no time for that; we have to move now. Use the company card and buy whatever you need when you arrive. I appreciate you, son," Finnegan finished before he turned and walked away.

Finn nodded, and with one look back toward Rory's empty office he walked into the elevator to meet the waiting car that would take him to the airstrip. As he sat in the car, he took out his phone and sent one text to Rory.

 _I have to go out of town on business; I'll be back tomorrow evening. We need to talk, Rory. -F_


	40. Chapter 40

Rory sighed as she walked into her's and Finn's apartment the next morning. She threw her keys on the table next to the door and walked straight into the master bedroom. Her heart dropped as she noticed that the bed was still made - Finn must not have come home last night. She was suddenly overcome with more doubts about what he had been doing recently. He'd been far too withdrawn and evasive the last week.

She felt warm tears streaming down her cheeks and walked in and started the shower. She desperately needed to wash off the last twenty-four hours. She peeled off her clothes and stood under the hot water, scrubbing in an attempt to rid herself of everything that seemed so hopeless at the moment. She stood in the shower until the water turned cold and finally got out and dried herself off. She dressed in yoga pants and a t-shirt and then walked into the living room to find her cell phone. She looked through her notifications and saw the missed call from Finn at two o'clock that morning and one unread text. She closed her eyes for a moment, bracing herself for whatever he had to say, and clicked on the text. As she read it she furrowed her brow. She'd had enough of his dodging her and lying, and she suddenly snapped. She was beyond angry. She shot back a quick reply of her own.

 _I've been home, Finn. You're the one who's avoiding home and lying. Yes, I know that you've been closing down the bars every night for the last week and that you didn't come home last night. -R_

She only had to wait a few minutes to receive a reply.

 _How did you know where I've been? -F_

She steeled herself and replied again.

 _Does it matter how I know, Finn? You need to come clean. I'm moving my stuff into the guest room. We'll talk tomorrow night. I don't know what else to say. You hurt me, and I don't deserve this. -R_

Finn was seething when he got Rory's reply. Only two people knew where he had been at night lately, and he knew Colin wouldn't have sold him out. That only left Logan. Before he even could think it through, he had dialed Logan's number. He gritted his teeth as he heard his supposed best friend answer the phone.

"Huntzberger."

"You were with her last night, weren't you?" Finn spat angrily.

"If you weren't dodging your girlfriend you would know who she was with," Logan shot back.

"Cut the shit. Did you just see your opportunity to move in on her?"

"I don't know what your problem is, Finn, but you need to figure it out. Whatever the hell's going on with you two - either fix it or break up with her. She doesn't deserve any of this," Logan said firmly.

"You just want me to break up with her so you can have another shot, huh?"

Finn could hear Logan sigh and take a few deep breaths.

"I want my best friend to pull his head out of his ass and do the right thing. Take it from someone who has loved and lost Rory Gilmore - fix it while you can. She deserves better than this. If you can't give it to her, if you don't appreciate the amazing woman you have and treat her like she should be treated - then get the hell out of the way and I will do my damnedest to make sure she's never hurt again," Logan said tersely before hanging up.

Finn threw his phone down angrily. Of course Logan would take her side in all of this. No one had bothered to ask him why he was so upset and avoiding the woman he loved. He'd been down this road before and it had nearly destroyed him. He didn't think he could survive it a second time.

Rory was sitting in the guest room working the next night when she heard the front door open and close. The last thing she wanted to do was to have this conversation, but she knew they couldn't continue to exist like this. She took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

"You're home," she said when she saw him standing there.

"I told you I would be," he replied.

"Yeah, but you also told me that you were working late for the last week when you didn't come home," Rory reminded him.

Finn took a deep breath and looked up at the woman who had so much power to hurt him irreparably. Had she already?

"I just...I didn't know how to deal with what's going on, Rory. I don't understand how you could do this to me," Finn replied sadly.

"How I could do this? What the hell have I done?" she asked angrily.

Finn sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair.

"I know you spent the night with Logan two nights ago, and I know your secret," Finn said quietly.

Rory just looked at him, trying to figure out what secret he was talking about.

"Nothing happened between Logan and me. He ran into me at the grocery store when I was getting ice cream to wallow and offered to keep me company. He spent the entire night telling me how much you love me and reassuring me that you wouldn't cheat on me. Then he put me in his bed and took the couch when I fell asleep half drunk."

Finn let out a deep breath that he hadn't realized he was holding but then tensed again as he processed the rest of what she had said.

"Wait, why the hell were you drinking?" He suddenly asked angrily.

"Out of everything I said, that's what you comment on?" She asked.

Finn took a deep breath and braced himself for his next question.

"Did you already do it?" He asked, sadness evident in his voice.

"Do what, Finn?"

"Did you already get an abortion, Rory? Yeah, you thought I didn't know? Well, I did," he answered tersely.

Rory stared at him open-mouthed and in shock for a minute.

"Why the hell would you think I'm pregnant?"

"I saw the pregnancy test in the bathroom trashcan, Rory. Why didn't you tell me?"

He couldn't even bring himself to look her in the eye at the moment.

"The pregnancy test? What...oh my god," Rory whispered. "Finn, that wasn't mine. It was Steph's. Please don't say anything - she and Colin want to announce the news after she sees the doctor. She came over here freaking out and took the test here," Rory explained.

Finn finally looked up at Rory.

"So you're not pregnant?" Finn asked.

"No, I'm not pregnant. I couldn't keep it from you if I thought I was - I would want you there with me when I took the test," Rory assured him. "Does this have anything to do with why you've been avoiding me?"

Finn crumbled in front of Rory, relieved to finally feel as though he could breathe again.

"I'm so sorry, Rory. I saw the test and I thought you were hiding the pregnancy from me. I...god, this is hard. I've never told anyone else about this."

Finn took a shaky breath and rubbed his hands over his face. Rory could see the tears that had already begun forming in his eyes and she froze. She couldn't imagine what kind of confession had him this upset. She had never seen him like this.

"I...I had a girlfriend shortly after college. Apparently, I got her pregnant and rather than talking to me she decided she wasn't ready to be a mom... she had an abortion. She told me after the fact, and it damn near killed me. I didn't understand how she could not even tell me. When I saw that pregnancy test in the trash..." He trailed off, tears falling down his face.

Everything suddenly made so much more sense, and she couldn't bring herself to be angry anymore. It broke her heart to see him hurting so badly. She reached over and took his hand.

"It felt like history was repeating itself," she whispered.

Finn simply nodded, still too emotional to speak. He wrapped Rory in his arms and held her tightly. He needed to feel her there with him more than ever.

"I'm so sorry, Ror. I never should have thought you could do that to me. I know you better than that," he said quietly as he still held her.

"You shouldn't have, but we all have baggage from past relationships. I probably would have thought the same thing if I were you."

"Please forgive me, Love? I can't bear the thought of living like this anymore. I've missed you so much," he pleaded.

"All is forgiven. I've missed you more than I can put into words. I thought you'd changed your mind about us," Rory choked out.

Finn held her head between his hands and looked her in the eyes. "Never, Rory. I'll never change my mind about us, and someday soon I'll put a ring on your finger as a reminder of that promise."


	41. Chapter 41

Finn raked his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. His mind was working overtime thinking about his upcoming plans. It had been a few weeks since his and Rory's reconciliation, and things were better than ever. They seemed to have worked through her abandonment issues and his old fears and misgivings that remained after losing a child he'd never gotten to know. As crazy as it sounds, he was actually grateful for that week. It had been hell, but they'd come out much stronger than before.

He'd sat down and had a man-to-man talk with Logan, thanking him for taking care of Rory and apologizing for putting him in an awkward situation. Finn considered himself damn lucky that Logan was such a good man; most men wouldn't have hesitated to take advantage of the situation. It killed him to think that he'd almost lost Rory over what essentially boiled down to a lack of communication. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Now he was going over last-minute preparations in his head while Rory napped on the flight. He just hoped that everything fell into place and Rory didn't catch on before he was ready to reveal his hand. It was December 26th. They'd just celebrated Christmas with Rory's family and they were now headed to Australia for a week of relaxation and to see Finn's family.

Finn ran his fingers through Rory's hair and kissed her gently. She had been sleeping with her head in his lap.

"Love? We'll be landing in a few minutes, so you need to wake up," Finn said softly.

Rory began to stir and stretched her sleepy body.

"We're already landing?" she asked sleepily.

"We are. Did you sleep well?" Finn asked.

"I did. I didn't realize just how exhausted I was," Rory replied as she sat up. "I'm so excited to be back in Australia; I think it's my absolute favorite place in the world. Those two weeks we spent here were magical."

"That they were, Kitten. Are you sure that you're okay with us just relaxing and spending a quiet week at home while we're here?"

"I'm positive, Finn. Your Aussie friends are amazing, but we've both been working such long hours. We need a break without any responsibilities," Rory confirmed.

"I couldn't agree more," Finn said quietly as the plane touched down.

Finnegan and Amelia were waiting for them when they disembarked the plane and welcomed them both with open arms.

"Rory, Finn! It's so good to see you two. Merry Christmas!" Amelia exclaimed as she hugged them both.

"It's good to be here. Merry Christmas," Rory replied happily.

"How was your flight?" asked Finnegan.

"It was fine - someone slept almost the entire way," Finn said pointing to Rory.

"Hey, I was tired!" Rory defended.

"I'm just giving you a hard time, Love," Finn chuckled.

"Well, let's load everything up and get you two home so you can relax. We'll see you tomorrow for lunch," Finnegan returned.

They loaded their luggage and all climbed into the car for the short flight to Finn's beach house. Rory and Finn bid the elder Morgans goodbye and collapsed onto the couch the moment they walked in the door.

"I absolutely love this place," Rory sighed happily.

"You know that we could spend part of the year here, Love?" Finn asked.

Rory's eyes snapped up. "You're serious?"

"Of course. There's no reason we couldn't both work from the Sydney office for a few months of the year. Technology would still allow you to manage the new magazine and your staff from here," Finn assured her.

"That would be...amazing," Rory replied happily. "Maybe we could spend part of the winter here?"

"Anything that makes you happy, Kitten," Finn agreed.

Rory smiled and snuggled into Finn's arms. "What time is it here?" she asked.

"It's about six o'clock in the evening. Why?" Finn asked.

"Just curious. Want to go play in the water?"

"Absolutely, love. Let's go get changed," Finn replied with a smile.

They raced upstairs with their suitcases and descended back down with their towels a short while later. They stepped onto the back porch and Rory closed her eyes and basked in the beautiful, sunny weather. Finn watched her and his heart swelled with love. He instantly knew that tonight was the night. He picked her up bridal style and ran down the beach into the ocean with her laughing and squealing in his arms.

"Finn, what are you doing?" she giggled.

"What does it look like? I'm taking you for a swim, Darling," Finn chuckled as he waded into the water.

"Put me down!" Rory squealed.

"If you're sure…" Finn trailed off as he dropped her into the salty water.

Rory came up a minute later and immediately went to work trying to dunk Finn into the water without much success. They played, splashed and swam for a couple of hours until they were both tired.

"Mum and Dad left some dinner in the fridge for us; they knew we'd be tired tonight. If you'll get it and out and warm it up, I'll grab the deck chairs and table from the garage and put them out back. We could eat on the deck," Finn suggested.

"That sounds perfect," Rory replied. She wrapped her arms around Finn and kissed him sweetly. "I'll go work on dinner," she whispered.

They split ways to tend to their designated tasks and met back on the deck twenty minutes later. Rory brought out plates of pasta along with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. They sat and talked over their dinner and drinks, both completely content with the simple pleasure of spending a quiet evening together. Finn noticed that the sun was just starting to set and took a deep breath. It was time to put his simple plan into action. He'd thought long and hard about how to do this, and he'd decided that sincere and understated was the way to go.

"Want to sit on the beach and watch the sunset, Ror?" he asked quietly.

"That would be the perfect end to our day," she replied. He only hoped that it really was the perfect ending to the evening. He couldn't help but be nervous.

"Excellent. I'll start a fire in the fire pit. Do you want to turn on some music for us to listen to outside? I think there's already a CD in the player, so you just need to hit play," Finn offered. Truth be told, he'd already put in a CD he'd chosen specifically for tonight. He smiled as he heard the music begin while he was working on the fire. Rory walked down the beach and joined him after the fire was roaring. Finn sat down and pulled her down with him, her back resting against his chest as they lounged on the beach just like that night they'd spent here after Rory's birthday.

"This is perfect," Rory whispered happily as she gazed at the beautiful sky that was streaked with oranges and reds.

"Every night with you is perfect," Finn replied quietly. His heart was beating a mile a minute.

Rory turned and kissed him, and the moment her lips touched his he felt calm. He was absolutely certain that this was right. He heard the opening notes of the song he'd chosen come on and he took a deep breath and swallowed hard. He glanced to the house and saw the photographer he'd hired in position next to the house. He wanted to capture this moment in time.

"Dance with me, Love?" he asked softly.

"Always," Rory answered with a smile.

Finn helped Rory to her feet and pulled her into his arms. They swayed together, both feeling like they were the only two people in the world, as the song played.

 _I never knew such a day could come_

 _And I never knew such a love could be inside of one_

 _And I never knew what my life was for_

 _But now that you're here I know for sure_

 _I never knew til I looked in your eyes_

 _I was incomplete til the day you walked into my life_

 _And I never knew that my heart could feel so precious and pure_

 _One love so real, real_

Rory sighed happily and laid her head on Finn's chest. She wanted nothing more than to spend every day with this amazing man who she loved so very much.

 _Can I just see you every morning when_

 _I open my eyes_

 _Can I just feel your heart beating beside me every night_

 _Can we just feel this way together til the end of all time_

 _Can I just spend my life with you_

 _Now baby the days and the weeks and the years will roll by_

 _But nothing will change the love inside of you and I_

 _And baby I'll never find any words that could explain_

 _Just how much my heart, my life, my soul you've changed_

 _Can you run to these open arms when no one else understands_

 _Can we tell God and the whole world I'm your woman and you're my man_

 _Can you just feel how much I love you with one touch of my hand_

 _Can I just spend my life with you_

 _No touch has ever felt so wonderful (you are incredible)_

 _Not a deeper love I've ever known (never let you go)_

 _I swear this love is true_

Finn closed his eyes for a moment and moved his hand to his pocket. He wrapped his hand around the velvet box and took a step back from Rory. She looked at him in confusion, and then her jaw dropped as he got down on one knee in front of her. He sang the last few lines to her softly.

 _Can you run to these open arms when no one else understands_

 _Can we tell God and the whole world_

 _You're my woman and you're my man_

 _Can you just feel how much I love you with one touch of my hand_

 _Can I just spend my life with you_

 _Can I just spend my life with you_

 _Can I just spend my life with you (forever here with you)_

 _Can I just spend my life with you_

The song ended and Finn looked up at the beautiful woman who'd captured his heart. He held the family ring he'd gotten from his father up and spoke the words that were in his heart.

"Love, I never knew how incomplete my life was until you walked into that hotel lobby in Chicago. You've taught me how to love and what's important in life. You make me so incredibly happy. I know that life won't be all roses and sunshine, but I want nothing more than for us to face every day together for the rest of our lives. Rory Gilmore, would you make me the happiest man on the bloody planet and agree to be my wife?" Finn asked emotionally.

Rory was completely overcome with emotions. Her hands flew to her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Unable to speak, she nodded her head yes and jumped into Finn's arms. She kissed him fiercely, trying to put all of the passion and happiness she felt at that moment into their passionate embrace.

"Is that a yes, Kitten?" he asked huskily.

"Yes! Of course I'll marry you, Finn!" Rory finally exclaimed.

"Thank God," Finn muttered between kisses. He took her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.

"It's beautiful," Rory breathed reverently as she gazed at the gorgeous diamond solitaire that he'd placed on her hand.

"Not as beautiful as my fiancée," Finn whispered.

"We're getting married!" Rory exclaimed happily.

"We are," Finn confirmed. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I want to make love to my fiance," Rory whispered seductively.


	42. Chapter 42

Rory woke to the sun spilling through the windows the next morning. She opened her eyes and immediately saw her engagement ring, and she couldn't help but smile. Last night had been absolutely perfect - from the quiet night on the beach to the the private, emotional proposal to the intimate celebration they'd shared in bed until the wee hours of the morning. She couldn't have been any happier.

She got up out of bed and walked out onto the balcony off of the master bedroom. After doing some quick calculations in her head, she dialed her mom's number from her cell phone.

"Hey, sweets. How's the land down under?" came Lorelai's voice.

"It's fantastic. We're going to go see Finn's family today at lunch. I just wanted you to be the first to know...Finn proposed last night, and I said yes. I'm getting married, Mom!" Rory squealed.

"Oh, Ror! That's amazing! I'm so thrilled for you! Ooh, I know. We can have your wedding at the Dragonfly next winter. It would be perfect, kiddo!" Lorelai said enthusiastically.

"We haven't actually talked about the wedding at all, Mom. I just wanted to call and let you know. I'm going to call Dad and Emily and Francine as well; I don't want to take the chance of the media getting wind of it and them finding out from a newspaper," Rory replied.

"No, you're right. You'd have hell to pay if that happened. Tell Finn that I said welcome to the family, and we'll get started planning the wedding as soon as you get home. I love you, sweets," Lorelai finished.

"Love you too, Mom. I'll talk to you later," Rory replied before hanging up.

Rory called her dad, who offered his sincere congratulations without any wedding advice, and she was grateful for that. She then decided that she only had the energy to have one conversation with her grandmothers, so she got both Emily and Francine on a conference call.

"Hi, Grandma Emily and Grandma Francine," Rory greeted her grandmothers when the calls had connected.

"Oh, hello, dear. How's Australia?" Emily asked. "I didn't expect to hear from you while you were on vacation."

"I wasn't planning on calling, but something happened last night and I wanted to make sure that you all heard it from me first. Finn asked me to marry him last night, and I said yes," Rory beamed happily.

"Oh, Rory! That's wonderful news," Francine gushed. "Have you guys made any decisions on when you'll have the wedding yet or where it will be? We'll need to get moving quickly."

"Oh, that's true. It will take months to plan an event worthy of the union of these three families," Emily agreed. "We could do the Plaza in June, but that's so cliché. That simply won't work for someone of your status. Francine and I can begin interviewing wedding planners while you're still in Australia, and then we can get started immediately when you get back home. You need to be prepared to dedicate quite a lot of time to planning this event."

Rory closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She suddenly knew exactly what the next year of her life was going to look like, and it wasn't at all exciting.

"You know, I think we'll just leave the wedding planning conversations for later. I'll talk to you guys when we're back in New York," Rory said before hanging up.

She walked back into the bedroom and curled back up in bed next to Finn.

"Where'd you go, Love?" he asked sleepily.

"I thought I'd call my parents and grandparents and give them the news. Unfortunately, it was a total buzz kill," Rory replied quietly. That perked Finn up.

"I thought they approved of our relationship?" Finn asked.

"Oh, they do. In fact, my mom and grandmothers are already putting pressure on me to make decisions for the wedding and get started planning the social event of the year," Rory huffed.

Finn pulled her closer and kissed her gently.

"Our wedding will be whatever we want it to be, Ror. We don't have to cave to pressure from them or anyone else; we'll do what makes us happy," Finn reassured her. "Now, we should probably get in the shower and get ready to go see my parents; it's getting close to lunchtime."

"Do you think they'll put more pressure on us?" Rory asked quietly.

"No, I really don't, Kitten. They were thrilled about the upcoming proposal, but I think they'll just be happy to support us in whatever we want."

"Thank goodness! Alright, let's shower, mister," Rory replied as she pulled him out of bed and into the bathroom behind her.

Finn and Rory pulled up in front of his parents' Syndey home, and he couldn't help but notice that Rory was nervously chewing on her lip.

"You okay there, Love?" he asked quietly as he put the car into park.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm just still thinking about my conversations with my mom and Emily and Francine," Rory replied.

"Just relax. We're going to have lunch with my parents and then we'll head back to the house and have a quiet evening at home. I promise that they won't put any pressure on us," Finn assured her.

"You're right - I'm totally overthinking this. Let's go," Rory replied with a smile.

Finn exited the car and walked around to Rory's side to help her out. They walked up to the front door and walked into the house.

"Mum? Dad? We're here," Finn called.

Amelia and Finnegan walked in from the living room and greeted the younger couple.

"Finn, Rory, lovely to see you. How was your first night back in Australia?" Finnegan asked.

Finn looked to Rory and she smiled and gave him a small nod. He took her left hand and held it up for his parents' inspection.

"It was a perfect night with my fiancée," Finn beamed.

His parents immediately embraced them both and offered their congratulations.

"Oh, that's splendid news! Welcome to the family, Rory; we couldn't be happier for you guys," Amelia gushed.

"Thank you both so much. I'm really excited to become a Morgan," Rory replied happily.

"You won't be hyphenating?" Finnegan asked. "I'd just assumed that you would."

Rory wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"No, Gilmore-Hayden-Morgan would be ridiculous, and I'll offend someone if I drop either Gilmore or Hayden, so I'll just become a Morgan," Rory replied.

"We'll be delighted for you to officially be a Morgan, dear. Let's go into the dining room for lunch and I'll grab a bottle of champagne to celebrate," Finnegan offered.

Rory and Finn followed Amelia into the dining room, and soon Finnegan returned with champagne and flutes. He poured them each a glass and then stood and held his glass up.

"Amelia and I are delighted that you've found each other. May you always be deeply in love and completely committed to each other, through the good times and the bad. To family," Finnegan offered proudly.

"To family," they all echoed as they clinked glasses and sipped their champagne.

They all dug into the delicious food that had been prepared and began chatting.

"Rory, dear, have you told your family the news yet?" Amelia asked.

Rory sat her fork down and grimaced.

"I have, actually. I called Mom, Dad, and both of my grandmothers this morning. They're all very excited for us - unfortunately, so excited that they're already pressuring us to make decisions and telling me what a huge society event our wedding will be," Rory said quietly.

"I've assured Rory that we'll make certain that our wedding is what we want, though, rather than a society party with hundreds of business associates present," Finn interjected.

"I've never really been a fan of huge, showy weddings. I would prefer something small and intimate, but Emily and Francine would have a fit," Rory confessed.

"Well, Finnegan and I will support whatever the two of you decide that you want. We didn't want a huge society wedding either, and we were both very happy that we stuck to our guns and had the wedding we wanted," Amelia assured her. "We'll both be happy to help you run interference with your family if needed."

"It would be nice if we could just inform them an hour before the wedding - just barely give them enough time to show up," Finn chuckled.

Rory's eyes suddenly shot up and she smiled.

"That's perfect, Finn!" she exclaimed.

"Love, I don't think there's any way we could get away with holding them off that long," Finn replied.

"No, that's not what I meant. You don't want a huge production, right?" she asked.

Finn shook his head.

"No, I just want us to make our vows to each other and start our lives as husband and wife," Finn assured her.

"Then that's what we'll do. I know this is going to sound crazy, but hear me out. The minute we land back in the States, our lives will be consumed by wedding planning and craziness - you and I both know that. Let's forego it all and get married here before we go back home. Your parents can be our witnesses. We can just have a small ceremony, just the four of us, and we can go home as husband and wife," Rory said excitedly.

"You're sure that's what your want, Love? I'd marry you right this second, but I don't want you to feel like you didn't get the wedding you wanted," replied Finn.

"I'm absolutely certain. I've never been a girl who dreamed of their perfect wedding day. I'd much rather do this and enjoy our day," Rory assured him.

Finn reached over and took her hand and kissed her tenderly.

"Then I'm in, Ror - let's get married."


	43. Chapter 43

At Finn's urging, Amelia whisked Rory away to go look for a wedding dress right after dinner. Rory tried to tell Finn that she didn't have to have an actual wedding dress, but he knew her well enough to know that she would regret getting married in anything else. He kissed her goodbye and sent her off in search of the perfect gown.

She and Amelia walked out to the car, and Rory had to admit that Amelia's excitement was contagious.

"I made a phone call before we left, and they can fit you in at Vera Wang, if that's okay? I'm certain that they'll have some great possibilities, and if you don't find anything there we can try some other places?" Amelia asked.

"Vera Wang? Wow, I've never even thought about wearing one of her dresses," Rory admitted.

"Well, we don't really take advantage of our status here, but they were delighted to have an opportunity to dress the newest member of the Morgan family for her wedding."

Rory looked up at her soon-to-be mother-in-law and smiled.

"I've always loved her dresses, and there's really no reason why I can't afford one. Let's go look," Rory said excitedly.

"That's the spirit, dear. You never know what you'll find, but you might as well get the perfect dress since money is no concern. You only get married once," Amelia reminded her. Rory thought about her Mom marrying and divorcing her Dad and then marrying Luke and couldn't help but laugh. She still knew she was right, though - Finn was it for her, and they'd fight to make it through anything that came their way.

They pulled up to Vera Wang and were immediately greeted when they walked in.

"Mrs. Morgan, lovely to see you. This must be your future daughter-in-law. I'm Madison, and I'll be helping you today," the consultant told them as soon as they walked in.

Rory turned to Amelia and smiled. She hadn't realized just how well-known Finn's family was here in Australia, although it made sense.

"Thank you so much for squeezing us in, Madison. This is Rory - the beautiful bride. She and my son will be getting married next week, so we'll need to view pieces you're willing to sell off the floor," Amelia replied.

"Of course, Mrs. Morgan. Follow me this way to our private area - I know you expressed some concerns over not wanting word to get out, so we'll be in our VIP bridal room today for complete privacy."

Amelia and Rory followed Madison through the store into a beautiful private sitting area. Rory could see the fitting room through the door on the other side of the room.

"So Rory, tell me a bit about yourself and your fiance?" Madison asked.

Rory smiled and took out her phone, unlocking it to show Madison a picture.

"I'm marrying Finn Morgan. I met him in college, but was dating one of his best friends. He and I ran into each other in Chicago earlier this year when we were both in the same place for our jobs, and we just hit it off. He's the most amazing man I've ever met, and I'm so excited to become his wife. We both work together for his family business now, and we live in New York City. We're both from very wealthy families, and we know that a wedding back in the States would quickly overwhelm us. We were talking about it yesterday, and we decided to get married here quietly and return home as husband and wife. I'm sure we'll have a reception at home too in order to pacify our families, so I'll most likely be wearing my wedding dress for that as well."

"Oh, that's such a sweet story! Have you tried on any wedding dresses yet?"

Rory laughed and shook her head.

"No, we just got engaged last night," she admitted sheepishly.

"Oh wow, that's amazing! Do you have any ideas of what you do or don't like in wedding dresses?" Madison asked.

"Not anything specific. I'm not really into anything too flashy or gaudy - I would like something timeless. I'm definitely not into anything trendy. I don't want to feel like I'm being overshadowed by my wedding dress, if that makes sense. Maybe something that's tastefully sexy? I know that I want to make Finn's jaw drop," Rory replied.

"Okay, I'll send someone in with some champagne for you two ladies to enjoy while I go pull some dresses to start with. We have all the time in the world here today, so be patient and I'm certain we can find your dress. There's a robe in the changing room. You can go change into that and by the time you get back the champagne will be waiting for you," Madison said.

Rory walked into the changing room and it suddenly hit her - she was getting married! She felt an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness as she took off her clothes and folded them neatly in the corner. She slipped on the pink silk robe and walked back into the sitting area to join Amelia.

"I think it just sank in - I'm getting married," Rory said quietly as she sat down.

Amelia chuckled and handed Rory a glass of champagne.

"You are, dear. Still doing okay?" Amelia asked.

"Yeah, I'm great. I thought I might panic when it sank in, but I'm just really excited. I know I'll probably catch hell from my family when they find out, but it still just feels right. I don't want it to turn into some big circus that's not even about us anymore - I just want Finn and me taking our vows," Rory replied with a wistful smile.

"Well, that's just what you'll have then. The men will find the perfect location today, and you and I will take care of the other details. There's a Tiffany's not too far from here, so we could go pick out Finn's ring after we find your dress," Amelia replied. She took a pad of paper and pen out of her purse and began making a list. "Let's see, we need dress, shoes, and his ring. I know he already has your wedding ring - it goes with the engagement ring. Would you like to hire someone to video and photograph the wedding?"

"Oh yes, we definitely want to do that," Rory agreed.

"Excellent. Do you want a bouquet? I have a florist that I use frequently, and I'm certain that she could make whatever you'd like." Amelia stopped and looked up and Rory and blushed. "I'm sorry, dear - please don't think I'm trying to take over. I just want to make certain that you get what you want, and I'm an organizer. You can feel free to tell me to leave it to you."

"No, no. This is good. I tend to be a planner and organizer as well, but since I've been with your son I've been more relaxed. It would be just like me not to think of something important until it was too late and then be really frustrated with myself. We may be eloping, but I still want the day to be special."

"Excellent. I'll add the florist to the list. Do you want to do your own hair and makeup?"

"Yeah, there's no reason to hire anyone to do that - I'll probably just leave it down and curl it. Finn loves it that way," Rory said with a smile.

Just at that moment, Madison and another consultant walked in with arms full of organza and tulle.

"Alright, we have several different silhouettes here for you to try, so if you want to follow me into the changing room we can get started," Madison told Rory as she walked by.

Rory sat down her champagne flute and followed Madison into the changing room. Once the two consultants had hung up all the dresses, the second consultant left and closed the door behind her.

"Okay, we have a little bit of everything here. Does anything jump out to you as something you love or hate?" Madison asked.

Rory looked through the beautiful dresses, trying to make some quick decisions about what to try on, but she really had no idea what she was looking for.

"I'm sorry - I have no clue what I want," Rory admitted.

"That's no problem at all. Let's go for a classic ballgown first and see what you think. Sound good?"

"Sure, let's do it," Rory agreed.

Madison took a beautiful tulle and organza ballgown with a chantilly lace bodice off the rack and helped Rory into it, zipping it up before letting Rory turn around to look. Even before she saw it, she could tell this definitely wasn't the one - she felt like she was being swallowed by fabric.

Madison took one look at Rory's face and laughed. "I'm guessing by the look on your face that this definitely isn't the one?"

"No, I feel like the dress is wearing me instead of the other way around," Rory admitted.

"I agree. Do you want to show your future mother-in-law?"

"No, let's wait until we find something that's a bit more me."

Madison helped Rory out of the ballgown and picked up a gown that looked a little more like Rory's style. It was a French tulle A-line gown with a criss-cross bodice and gathered skirt and a grosgrain sash. It was light and flowy and beautiful, and Rory instantly loved it on the hanger. She could only hope it looked as good on her. Madison helped Rory into the dress and then turned her around to look in the mirror.

"Wow...this looks...wow," Rory breathed reverently. "It's gorgeous."

"It's a perfect fit on you, Rory. You look stunning. Shall we show Mrs. Morgan?"

Rory nodded and twirled around in the mirror. "Yeah, definitely."

Rory walked into the sitting room and Amelia looked up and smiled at her.

"Oh Rory, that's beautiful!" Amelia exclaimed. "You look breathtaking. What do you think of this one?"

"I think it's gorgeous, and I definitely feel like a bride. It feels a bit surreal," Rory chuckled. "I'm really getting married."

Madison and Amelia laughed and smiled at the blushing bride-to-be.

"I was just telling Rory that this gown is a perfect fit for her - it wouldn't require any alterations at all with the possible exception of hemming it, depending on heel height," Madison told Amelia.

"I think this one is a definite possibility," Rory admitted. "Maybe we can look at a few more?"

"Of course - we can try on as many dresses as you'd like," Madison assured her.

Madison and Rory walked back into the changing room and Madison held up a couple of mermaid-style dresses. "Want to try one of these so you can see what the silhouette looks like on you?" she asked.

"Sure, we might as well. I'm kind of one of those people who needs to see all the options before making a decision."

Madison helped Rory change into the new dress and then turned her around. Rory wrinkled up her nose and turned from side-to-side. "It's nice, but it's not very me. It just doesn't make me feel like the last one did."

"Alright, we'll take that one off the list. I have one last silhouette that I'd like you to try. It's very sexy, but still classic. I think it will look phenomenal on you, and I'm certain that your fiance will be speechless. Are you up for being a bit adventurous with me?" Madison asked.

Rory laughed and smiled. "I think I should be scared, but let's go for it."

"Alright, I'm going to help you take this one off and put the other dress on, but I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to look. I don't even want you to see the dress until it's on you," Madison insisted.

Rory closed her eyes as instructed and stepped into the new dress. It hugged her body tightly, but still felt comfortable. The dress was heavier than the last two. Madison turned her toward the mirror and fluffed the short train. "Okay, open your eyes, Rory."

Rory opened her eyes and gasped when she saw her reflection in the mirror. It wasn't anything that she ever would have picked out for herself, but she had to admit that it looked phenomenal. It was a light ivory V-neck gown with applique metallic flowers and a chantilly lace underlay. It had crystal and bead embroidery, and it had delicate lace cap sleeves. The back plunged into a deep V all the way to her waist. Rory turned in the mirror and looked at herself in awe.

"Speechless?" Madison asked with a smile.

"For the first time in my entire life," Rory chuckled. "There aren't even words. I never would have chosen this, but it's stunning. Can we show Amelia?"

"Absolutely. Head on out and I'll follow you," replied Madison.

Rory walked through the door and into the sitting room, and Amelia immediately teared up.

"Oh, dear. That is gorgeous! Finn would trip over his own tongue if he saw you in that," Amelia said with watery eyes.

"It's incredible, isn't it? I was telling Madison that I would never pick this out on the rack, but now I don't think I ever want to take it off," Rory whispered.

"Shall we try a veil and shoes so you can get the full picture?" Madison asked.

"Please," Rory answered excitedly.

Madison left and room and came back a few minutes later with the needed accessories. She turned Rory around again so she couldn't see herself in the mirror and helped her into a beautiful pair of ivory heels that coordinated with her dress. Then she placed a simple single-layer chapel train in her hair and a bouquet in her hands. She turned her around toward the mirror.

"Alright, open your eyes, Rory."

Rory opened her eyes and immediately teared up. "Oh my god, it's perfect. I look...I look like a bride," Rory whispered. She turned to Amelia. "What do you think?"

"I think you look gorgeous, and my son is the luckiest man in the world. Is this it?" Amelia asked.

Rory took one more look in the mirror and nodded.

"This is it! We'll take it all!" she squealed.


	44. Chapter 44

Finn and Rory's stay in Australia was quickly coming to an end, and today was the day that they were getting married. Rory was giddy as she woke up in Finn's arms. They'd decided to buck tradition and spend the night before their wedding together, neither of them feeling the need to cave to superstition. She moved up Finn's body and kissed him softly, causing him to stir.

"Mmm...that's quite a nice way to wake up, Miss Gilmore," Finn murmured in between kisses.

Rory laughed and curled further into him. "Today's the last day I'll wake up as Rory Gilmore," she whispered. "When I wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be Mrs. Rory Morgan."

"Indeed you will, Love. You know, this may be the first time I've ever known you to wake up before the alarm clock went off," Finn teased.

"Well, what can I say? It's an exciting day!"

"It really is. You ready to get up and ready for our flight?" Finn asked. They had an early flight to Adelaide on the Morgan family's private jet. Rory hadn't seen their wedding venue yet. Finn was quite excited to surprise her with his choice of location.

Rory sprung out of bed and hurried off toward the bathroom, anxious to get the day started. She had no doubts about marrying Finn; she was ready to take her vows and become his wife.

"Am I allowed to shower with you this morning?" Finn asked as he joined her in the bathroom.

"I can't think of a better way to start our wedding day," Rory replied seductively.

Finn followed Rory into the bathroom and took his time, savoring every inch of her body for the last time before she was his wife. They emerged forty-five minutes later and quickly got ready to leave. Finnegan and Amelia had taken care of ensuring that everything was waiting on the jet, so they just had to get themselves aboard.

They made their way onto the waiting plane and took their seats quickly. Breakfast was served right after takeoff, and Finn and Rory enjoyed the quiet moment in their big day. They had talked at length about how excited they were to be getting married in a quiet ceremony rather than having a day full of pomp and circumstance where they would be forced to cater to everyone around them. With this plan, they would just be able to relax and focus on taking their vows.

"Are you nervous, Love?" Finn asked after they'd finished their breakfast.

Rory shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. "No, I'm actually not nervous at all. I'm excited. I just…" she trailed off.

Finn's eyebrows shot up and he leaned in and took her hand in his. "What is it, Ror?"

"I think I wish I would have asked my mom to fly out so she could be here," Rory whispered.

"We could wait and do it back at home so she could be there if you'd like," Finn offered. "Or we could extend our stay here for a few more days and see if she can fly out - we could wait for her."

Rory smiled and shook her head. "No, we've done all this planning and have everything set. I don't want to wait - we're getting married today. It will be okay," Rory assured him. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, and they sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of the flight.

As soon as they landed, they were whisked into a waiting limo and taken to their venue. Finn put a blindfold over Rory's eyes a few blocks before they arrived - he didn't want her to see their destination until they were inside so she could get the full effect. He guided her into place and stopped her just inside the door of the room they would be married in.

"Are you ready to see where we're getting married, Love?" he asked excitedly.

"Please!" Rory begged. Finn laughed and untied the blindfold.

"Alright, here we go." Finn dropped the blindfold and watched her eyes dart around the room.

"It's...oh my god. It's perfect, Finn!" Rory squealed. She flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I can't believe we're getting married here. Where exactly is here?" Rory asked with a giggle.

"We're at the State Library of South Australia in the Mortlock Chamber. You've always loved books, so I thought there was no better place to get married," Finn replied softly.

Rory turned to look around the room again and smiled broadly. It was a gorgeous three-story room that was floor-to-ceiling books. It was picture perfect.

"We'll get married right over there," Finn said as he pointed out the area that had been set up. There was an aisle runner that led to a beautiful arch made of books. The arch was decorated with flowers that coordinated with the bouquet that Rory had selected.

"I can't believe you thought of this. It's amazing," Rory breathed reverently.

Finnegan and Amelia walked in and saw the almost-married couple and smiled. "If you two would like to follow us, we'll take you to the rooms you'll be getting ready in," Amelia told them.

"Of course, let's do this," Rory replied excitedly.

Rory and Finn split off, with Rory following Amelia and Finn following his dad. They walked down a couple of hallways and then Amelia stopped Rory outside of a door.

"We've had everything that you need brought inside, and of course, I'll help you get ready. Finnegan and I wanted to get you a gift - we hope we didn't overstep our boundaries. As you and I talked while making wedding arrangements, I couldn't help but think that this would be the perfect gift for you," Amelia explained nervously.

"I'm sure that whatever you guys got will be perfect," Rory assured her with a smile. She couldn't believe that she'd gotten so lucky with Finn's family.

"Alright then, head on in. I'll follow you," Amelia instructed Rory.

Rory reached over and turned the doorknob, opening the door slowly. She stepped inside and gasped as she saw her surprise. "Oh my gosh...how did you...I can't believe it!" Rory said as she began to cry.


	45. Chapter 45

"Good surprise, Sweets?" Lorelai asked as she saw her daughter standing there in shock.

Rory nodded and covered her mouth with her hands as she cried. She ran into her mom's waiting arms and hugged her tightly. "It's just a good thing I haven't done my makeup yet," she said with a laugh. "I had just told Finn on the plane ride here that I wished I would have had you come for the wedding. I realized how badly I wanted you to be here, but it was too late to do anything about it."

"You'd made several comments while we were making wedding arrangements that made me think you would regret it if your mom wasn't here to see you get married, so we took a chance and called and invited her out," Amelia said softly.

Rory turned and embraced her soon-to-be mother-in-law. "Thank you so much. I'm so lucky that you guys are going to be my in-laws. I love you guys," Rory whispered.

"We love you too, Rory. We're so happy that you're marrying Finn - we couldn't have chosen better ourselves," Amelia replied emotionally.

They broke apart a moment later and Rory looked at Amelia and her mom. "Alright, let's get me ready to get married!"

Rory changed into a blue silk robe and walked over to the dressing area that had been set up.

"Want me to do your hair, Ror?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah, I thought some soft curls - just simple and pretty," Rory replied.

Lorelai went to work on Rory's hair, curling and spraying, while Amelia brought her a cup of coffee and showed the photographer and videographer into the room. They wanted to ensure that they got pictures of the entire day from start to finish.

"Amelia, would you mind unzipping my dress bag so Mom can see my wedding dress?" Rory asked as Lorelai continued work on her hair.

"Of course, dear," Amelia said. She walked over to the dress bag and unzipped it, carefully taking the gorgeous Vera Wang dress out.

"Oh, Kiddo. That's stunning," Lorelai exclaimed when she saw the dress.

"Just wait until you see it on. It's unreal - classy but sexy," Rory replied as she stared at the dress.

"Finn is going to die when he sees you in that," Lorelai assured her. "Alright, your hair's all finished. What do you think?"

Rory looked in the mirror and smiled. "It looks perfect, Mom." Her side-swept bangs were straight, but the rest of her hair was in loose curls down her back.

Rory stood and moved closer to the mirror to begin applying her makeup as her mom and Amelia sat and talked. She still wanted to look natural, so she applied just a bit more makeup than normal and then stood back and looked at herself. "Alright, it's time for the dress," Rory said as she looked at the clock.

Amelia and Lorelai helped Rory into her dress. Lorelai zipped her up and gasped as Rory turned around.

"What do you think, Mom?" Rory asked as she twirled around.

"I think you look incredible, Sweets. Let's finish getting you ready," Lorelai said through tears.

Amelia and Lorelai helped Rory into her shoes and and then Amelia pulled two blue Tiffany's boxes out. "These are for you, dear. These are from Finn," she said as she handed Rory two of the boxes.

Rory took the two boxes and opened the larger of the two. It was a beautiful white gold Tiffany bow cuff. "Oh wow, it's gorgeous," Rory exclaimed as she slipped it on her wrist. She picked up the second box and her jaw dropped as she opened it. "It's...it's stunning," she whispered. She took the Tiffany Circlet Double Drop Necklace out of the box and turned for her mom to fasten it around her neck. "I can't even believe it - they're perfect with my dress. He's so good to me," Rory whispered as she touched the necklace and choked back tears.

"And these are from Finnegan and me. We know you two aren't traditional, but we thought you might like something blue anyway," Amelia offered. She handed Rory the last Tiffany box and Rory opened it gingerly. Inside were a pair of Soleste earrings with a round aquamarine stone surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds.

"Oh wow, thank you so much!" Rory said as she hugged Amelia again. "They're gorgeous."

"We thought you might like them," Amelia said.

"Did you get anything for Finn, Ror?" Lorelai asked.

Rory smiled and nodded. "I did - I already gave it to Finnegan. I got him a Tiffany CT60 Chronograph watch. His old watch quit working, and he kept forgetting to buy a new one."

"I'm sure he'll love it," replied Amelia.

"Alright, one more box for you and then it's time to get you hitched, Kiddo. This is your something old."

Rory opened the small box and found a beautiful diamond-encrusted hair comb.

"My mom wore it when she and Dad got married, and she gave it to me. I thought you might like to use it to secure your veil today," Lorelai said quietly.

"Of course! Thank you so much, Mom," Rory said as she once again tried to hold back tears.

She bent for Lorelai to secure her veil with the family heirloom and then looked into the full-length mirror. "I'm ready to get married," she whispered.

Rory picked up her bouquet. It was a beautiful arrangement of light pink, dark pink and yellow roses - simple, but elegant. She took one last look in the mirror and then turned back to her mom and Amelia. "Can we get some pictures first?" Rory asked quietly.

"Of course, dear," Amelia replied warmly.

The photographer took photos of Rory by herself, with Lorelai, with Amelia, and the three of them together. After a seemingly endless number of shots, the three ladies walked to the door. It was time.

"Hey, Mom? Will you give me away?" Rory asked.

"I'd love nothing more, Ror."


	46. Chapter 46

Finn stood under the book archway anxiously awaiting the sight of his bride walking down the aisle. He wasn't nervous, just excited to make Rory his wife. His mom walked into the room and joined his dad standing on one side of the aisle runner. They'd opted not to use chairs since the ceremony was going to be short and private, and Finnegan had told him about his and Amelia's surprise for Rory while he was getting ready. He was delighted to hear that Lorelai would be there; he knew Rory would regret it otherwise.

He heard "At Last" by Etta James begin playing and his breath caught in his throat as he saw Rory walk into the room on Lorelai's arm. It seemed like time froze for a minute when his eyes met hers. He hadn't known what to expect from her wedding dress, but even in his wildest dreams he couldn't have imagined the vision floating down the aisle toward him. She looked absolutely breaktaking - she was classy, ravishing, gorgeous, and a million other adjectives that his brain couldn't recall when she looked like _that_. The dress was just low-cut enough to make Finn look forward to their wedding night while still being classy, and it clung to her every curve. He'd never seen her look so amazing.

Finn smiled and leaned over to kiss Rory on the cheek as she and Lorelai arrived next to him. Lorelai hugged Rory and then placed her hand in Finn's as she wiped away a few tears. Finn took both of Rory's hands and they turned to each other as the officiant began speaking about marriage. Finn couldn't concentrate on his words, only on the woman in front of him.

"Finn and Rory, have you come here willingly and of your own accord to give yourselves to each other in marriage?" the officiant asked.

"We have," they said in unison.

"Finn, you may make your vows to your bride."

Finn smiled and looked into Rory's beautiful blue eyes and took in a shaky breath.

"Rory, I thought I was happy before you came into my life, but you have shown me what true happiness is. I promise to encourage your compassion, because that is what makes you unique and wonderful. I promise to nurture your dreams, because through them your soul shines. I promise to help shoulder our challenges, for there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together. I promise to be your partner in all things, not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole. Lastly, I promise to you perfect love and perfect trust, for one lifetime with you could never be enough. This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things."

He reached over and gently wiped the tears from Rory's eyes.

"Thank you, Finn. And now, Rory, you may make your vows to Finn."

Rory tightened her grip on Finn's hands and willed her tears to stop so she could speak clearly.

"Finn, you have shown me that there is so much more to life than I ever dreamed. I believe in you, the person you will grow to be and the couple we will be together. With my whole heart, I take you as my husband, acknowledging and accepting your faults and strengths, as you do mine. I promise to be faithful and supportive and to always make our family's love and happiness my priority. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. I will dream with you, celebrate with you and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring. You are my person—my love and my life, today and always," she managed to say through tears.

"You may now exchange rings," the officiant said. Finnegan stepped forward the placed the rings in Finn and Rory's hands and then resumed his place next to his wife who was dabbing her tears with a handkerchief, as was Lorelai.

Finn took Rory's wedding ring and slid it onto her finger as he recited his vow.

"Rory, this ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your faithful husband. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours."

Rory smiled and slid Finn's wedding ring onto his finger, repeating the same vow.

"Finn, this ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as your faithful wife. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours."

"Rory and Finn, you have made your solemn vow to one another and exchanged rings. Cling to those vows on the good days and the bad days. May your love for each other grow with each passing day. It is my joy to declare that you now are husband and wife. Finn, you may kiss your bride," the officiant finished.

Finn smiled and took Rory into his arms. He gazed at her lovingly for a moment, stroking her cheek with his thumb, and then kissed her tenderly. He smiled as he felt his wife melt into his embrace. After a bit longer than would have been societally acceptable, they pulled apart and he kissed her forehead.

"You're mine forever now, Mrs. Morgan," he whispered, his voice full of emotion.

"I've been yours forever for a while, but it is official now, Mr. Morgan," Rory replied softly.

Finnegan, Amelia and Lorelai watched the tender moment between the new husband and wife and smiled. The young couple was so obviously in love, and it was so touching to watch the tender way they interacted with one another.

Finn bent and kissed Rory once more, relishing the thought of her now being his wife, and then they joined hands and turned toward their parents.

"Thank you all so much for making this happen. Today has been absolutely perfect - I wouldn't change a thing," Rory said gratefully.

"And thank you for thinking of me and getting me here to see my only daughter get married," Lorelai added with a laugh. "Welcome to the family, Aussie. I couldn't have chosen a better son-in-law if I'd tried," she finished as she embraced him.

"And you, Rory - welcome to the Morgan family. We've considered you to be a part of our family since the day we met you, but now it's official," Finnegan added. Rory moved to hug her new in-laws and smiled.

"Thank you guys so much. I am so grateful to be a Morgan," she said tearfully. She moved back to her husband's side and smiled up at him. "Now, let's go celebrate!"

"You two take your time; we'll meet you at the hotel," Finnegan said with a wink toward the newlyweds.

Finnegan, Amelia and Lorelai walked out of the room and Finn and Rory were left alone. She snuggled into his arms and laid her head on his chest.

"I love you so much, Finn. I can't believe we're married," Rory whispered.

"It is a little surreal, isn't it? I can't imagine the looks we get when we return home and we're married," he chuckled.

"We'll have a lot of explaining to do, huh?" Rory giggled.

"I should say so."

Rory turned and looked around her. It was easily the most beautiful library she'd ever been in, and she'd been in more than her fair share. She walked over to the shelves and ran her fingers over the spines of the books. Finn watched as she pulled a book off of the shelf and leafed through it every few minutes, already lost in the world of literature. She suddenly gasped as she picked up a book and opened it.

"Oh my gosh! This is my favorite book!" Rory said excitedly.

"What is it, Kitten?" Finn asked. He knew there was no way they'd make it out the door without Rory spending some time looking at books.

"It's called Unexpected Love. It's a great book."

"I've never heard of it. What's it about?" he asked.

"It's about a woman who had given up on love. She'd been burned and couldn't bring herself to be vulnerable again. An old friend comes back into her life and friendship turns to love. It's just...it's so beautiful, and it really resonates with me," Rory shared passionately.

"Wow, that's quite a story, Love," Finn said softly.

"It really is. Anyway, we have a wedding to celebrate. I'm just going to find the restroom and I'll be right back," Rory said as she put the book back on the shelf. She walked out of the room and Finn quickly retrieved the book from the shelf and went off in search of a librarian.

Rory returned to Finn a short while later and she and Finn walked to the door of the library hand-in-hand, both overjoyed at their newlywed status. He stopped her at the door and picked her up bridal-style and carried her to their waiting limo. They were going to the Mayfair Hotel, one of their family holdings, where they would celebrate with dinner in their private dining room before proceeding to the honeymoon suite for their last two nights in Australia.

"I love you, Mrs. Morgan," Finn whispered huskily as he kissed her in the back of the limo. The parents had taken a separate car in order to give them privacy.

"And I love you too, Mr. Morgan."


	47. Chapter 47

Rory and Finn exited the elevator on the top floor of the Mayfair Hotel. They'd just had dinner with his parents and Lorelai, and now they were headed to their room to spend their first night together at husband and wife. He unlocked the door to their suite and then stopped her.

"Wait right there, Mrs. Morgan. I do believe I get to carry you over the threshold," he said with a smirk. He bent and picked her up and carried her into their room, kicking the door shut behind him. He set her back on her feet and took her in his arms, kissing her hungrily as he relished the feel of having her in his arms.

"Today has been absolutely perfect," Rory whispered in between kisses. "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you, Kitten. Now, I have a little gift for you," Finn said proudly, walking over to the couch to find the bag that he'd had delivered to their room.

"A gift? You already did too much," Rory protested, reaching up to the touch the gorgeous necklace he'd given her for a wedding gift.

"Well, this one is more of a sentimental gift," he said, handing the bag to her.

She opened the bag and gasped when she saw what was inside. "This is...how did you even get this, Finn?" she asked as she took out the book she'd been looking at earlier today.

"Well, money talks. There's more - look inside the front cover," he said.

She opened the cover and tears came to her eyes as she read the words he'd written inside the book.

 _My dearest Rory,_

 _On our wedding day, I want to tell you how grateful I am for our Unexpected Love. You have shown me what love means, and I am so excited for us to share forever together. Thank you for being my love, my best friend, my one and only. I can't wait to love you every day for the rest of my life._

 _Always yours,_

 _Finn_

Rory sat the book down and ran into Finn's arms, hugging him tightly. "It's beautiful - thank you," she whispered.

"You're beautiful, and you're my wife," Finn replied softly, running his fingers down her arms. "I don't know if I've mentioned this, but you look...well, there aren't really words to describe how you look. Stunning, ravishing, gorgeous, sexy, perfect," he said with a smile.

"Thank you. I wanted to look perfect for you, and your mom and I instantly knew that this was the dress. You look incredible yourself, mister. There aren't many men in the world who can wear a suit as well as my husband can," replied Rory. "I still can't believe that we did it - we're married."

"That we are, Ror. You're my wife...honestly, I didn't ever think I'd want a wife until you came along, but you...well, I couldn't imagine anything better than making you my wife."

"Well, I'm glad you changed your mind. I didn't even have to twist your arm," Rory said with a laugh.

"Hell no, you didn't. I'd be a damn fool not to marry you. I had to hurry up and get you down the aisle before you changed your mind," Finn chuckled.

"Never gonna happen, baby," Rory whispered, shaking her head. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed her husband - her husband! It was still sinking in. "You know, Mr. Morgan, you could see what I have on under this dress and we could make this marriage official," she offered, and then she started kissing up his neck.

"You don't have to ask me twice, Mrs. Morgan," Finn whispered. He looked down at the beautiful woman standing in front of him - his bride - and swallowed hard. He wasn't the type to get emotional easily, but this moment was everything to him. He took Rory into his arms and kissed her soundly and then reached back and unzipped her wedding dress. She slid her arms out of the dress and let it slide down to the floor and he gulped hard as his mouth went dry - apparently there was nothing under the wedding dress.

"You've been wearing...that all day?" Finn asked, his eyes darkened and his jaw dropped at the sight of his wife standing in front of him.

"Yup, just waiting for this moment right here," Rory said seductively.

Finn snapped out of his trance and moved toward Rory. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, kissing her as he moved toward the bedroom. She kicked off her heels as soon as Finn sat her down on the bed and smiled up at him.

"You know, the thought occurs to me that you're wearing far too much for my taste right now. As nice as this looks, it all needs to go," Rory whispered. She slid his jacket off his arms and then pulled his tie over his head before going to work on the buttons on his shirt. She kissed down his chest, appreciating just how gorgeous her husband looked without a shirt. Finally, she moved to his belt and pants as he kicked off his shoes and socks, and they finally fell into bed together.

"I do believe I get to make love to you now, Mrs. Morgan," Finn whispered, moving his hands down her beautiful curves.

"Please, Finn," she begged, crazy from the anticipation of their wedding night.

"Anything you want, baby." They lost themselves in making love for the first time as husband and wife - an act that was so familiar but seemed so much more intimate now that they were married. After they were both happily satisfied, they laid there together in bed. Rory's head was on Finn's chest, and he was running his hands down her back, enjoying the feel of her bare skin.

"I love you, Ror," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered. She took a deep breath and decided now was the time.

"Finn?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pregnant."


	48. Chapter 48

Finn stared at Rory, his jaw dropped, as he wrapped his mind around what she'd just said.

"You're pregnant?" he whispered, unable to believe it.

"Yeah. I guess I forgot a couple of pills back when we were going through that rough spot. I'm so sorry, I promise it wasn't intentional," Rory said, not knowing exactly what to expect.

"How long have you known?"

"I suspected that I might be a couple of days ago and went out and bought a test yesterday. I took the test when I went to the restroom before we left the wedding. Actually, I took three - I wanted to make sure. I didn't want to tell you right before we walked into dinner with your parents and my mom," she explained.

"So we're going to be parents?" he asked, his face lighting up. She could see that he was starting to get excited now.

"It certainly appears that way. Are you okay with this?" Rory whispered. She had no idea what to expect from Finn. Finn pulled her closer to him and kissed her passionately, and soon she felt his tears on her cheeks. "Are you okay, baby? You're worrying me."

"I'm - I don't even know if there are words, Ror. It all feels surreal. Just a few weeks ago I was telling you about my child I'd never known, and now I find out that my wife and I are expecting. It's the most amazing thing in the world. I mean, a little bit of you and a little bit of me," he said softly as he gazed at her lovingly. "What about you? How are you feeling about this? I know it wasn't in your plans yet."

"I'm actually really excited. I was there in the bathroom waiting on time to be up so I could check the results, and I suddenly realized that I would be devastated if it was negative. After thinking that I might be pregnant for a couple of days, I'd come to really hope that I was," she answered.

"So, we'll have a little one in our arms in about nine months or so?"

"According to the online due date calculators, I would be due around September 21st," she said with a smile.

"Wow. Well then, I think we should definitely focus on finding a home - somewhere better for raising a child. We also need to make an appointment for you to see the doctor, and start planning a nursery," he said, getting caught up in the excitement of this new little life on the way.

"Take a deep breath there, baby. We have over eight months to get everything done. Right now, the only thing I want to do is curl up in my husband's arms and fall asleep at the end of our perfect day," she said as she yawned.

"Has our wedding day worn you out?" Finn smirked, thinking of their previous love making.

"Our wedding day and the littlest Morgan. I've always heard that the first trimester of pregnancy was exhausting, but I didn't believe it until now."

"Well then, let's sleep, my love," Finn whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "I guess we're going to have quite the shocking news to share with everyone when we get home, huh? I mean, we're gone for two weeks and we're coming home having gotten engaged and married and expecting a baby."

"What do you think they'll say?" Rory asked as she yawned and curled up with her head on his chest.

"I think they're going to be shocked that we eloped, and thrilled to bits that they'll all have a new little one around to love and spoil rotten. Our baby will be part of the next generation of the Life and Death Brigade, you know."

"I'm not sure the world is ready for another generation of the three musketeers," Rory teased as she yawned.

"Well, maybe we'll have a girl. I can't imagine having a son who acted like I used to," Finn said with a laugh.

"I hate to burst your bubble, dear, but if we have a girl you'll spend the rest of your life trying to protect her from guys like you," she joked.

"Oh...oh no. No, that will never do. I know exactly what guys like me are up to. No, no, no. If we have a daughter, we'll have to move to Siberia and lock her up until she's forty to protect her from guys like me," Finn rambled, obviously agitated.

"Don't you think that's overkill, Finn? I think we can manage to protect her without moving across the world or building any moats."

"I have a whole new respect for the parents of the girls I dated. I don't know how they didn't kill me," Finn chuckled.

"It must have been your exotic charm. I'm glad they didn't, though - I'm quite fond of you. I wouldn't be married or pregnant right now if they'd exacted their revenge. So, am I correct in assuming that you want a boy, given this new revelation you've had?" she asked with a smile.

"You know, as long as I have a healthy wife and a healthy baby, I'll be deliriously happy," he whispered, pulling her closer and running his hands up and down her back absentmindedly.

"You know, I think I agree. This pregnancy wasn't planned, but as long as we have our little bundle of joy here safe and sound, I'll be thrilled."

"I really do want to start looking at homes as soon as we get home, though, Love. I'd much prefer to raise our family in someplace more well-suited to kids and playing in the backyard. Maybe somewhere with four bedrooms?" he asked.

"Four? How many times are you planning on getting me pregnant?" Rory asked with a laugh.

"Well, considering just how sexy my wife is and how I can't keep my hands off of her, I'm thinking as many times as she'll let me. Hell, we can have a whole football team if you want."

"Let's start with two or three and we'll go from there."


	49. Chapter 49

"Ror? We're home, baby," Finn said softly as he rubbed his wife's back. She had slept a good part of the flight back home and they had just landed.

"Hmm?" she mumbled sleepily.

"We're landing, so it's time for my beautiful wife to wake up," Finn said with a laugh.

"Oh. How long did I sleep?" she asked as she stretched.

"About eight hours. You must have been exhausted."

"I'm telling you - growing a baby isn't for the faint of heart," Rory said with a laugh.

"Speaking of which, we need to make you a doctor's appointment as soon as we get back to our place. I want us to go and let the doctor take a look at the both of you and make sure everything's going as it should be," said Finn.

"Yeah, that would be a good idea. I'll call my doctor and see how soon she can get us in," Rory agreed. "So, how are we going to tell all of our friends our big news?"

"We could invite everyone over for dinner and then tell everyone at once?" offered Finn.

"Yeah, I think that would be perfect. Mom also mentioned wanting to throw us a party so we could celebrate our marriage with everyone. Would that be okay with you?"

"I'll never turn down an opportunity to show my gorgeous wife off," Finn said with a smile.

"You may feel differently once I'm hugely pregnant," Rory chuckled.

"No way, I'll always be proud to show you off. I think you'll be irresistible even when you're about to give birth to our child," he said with a smile. "In fact, I would bet that I'll think you look even more ravishing when you have a round, pregnant belly."

Rory smiled and snuggled into his arms. "I love my husband so much," she whispered softly.

"And I love my wife more than anything in the world."

Their jet touched down and Finn quickly whisked Rory into the waiting town car that would take them to their apartment. Traffic was light and they made good time in getting home. As soon as they walked in the door, Rory called her doctor and made an appointment for the next afternoon. She was grateful that they'd had a cancellation and she could get in so quickly.

After she hung up the phone, she and Finn began sending texts to the gang from Yale to invite them to dinner the next night. They would have seen the doctor at that point, and they also had the news of their marriage to share.

"Hey, I think Kate and Laura are in New York this week. Would it be okay if I invite them along as well?" Rory asked.

"Of course it is! It's our celebration; you don't need to ask my permission to invite your friends," chuckled Finn.

"How do you think Logan will take the news?" Rory asked as they settled onto the couch together. "I know that we've all been on good terms since my birthday, but it still concerns me."

"I think he'll be surprised, but happy for us, Love. The way he reacted to our misunderstanding last month made me realize that he's really moved on and is okay with us. He really gave me hell over the way I was acting," admitted Finn.

"I hope you're right. My feelings for him are long in the past, but I don't want to hurt him."

"And that's one of the things that I love about you, my dear. You're so kind-hearted," he said with a smile. He leaned over and kissed her sweetly. "Now, is there anything in particular that you'd like to do today?"

"Well, we should probably go grocery shopping since there's literally no food in the house, and we should also go ahead and order food for dinner tomorrow night so we can just relax and enjoy the evening rather than spending all night in the kitchen," Rory offered.

"Well then, let's go that Mexican restaurant down the street that we like so much and grab lunch, and we can also order dinner from there. Then we can get some groceries next door and spend a quiet evening in. Sound good, Mrs. Morgan?"

"Sounds perfect, Mr. Morgan," she replied with a smile.

They both got up and grabbed their phones, bundled up in coats and gloves, and walked out the door hand-in-hand. It was winter in New York, but the weather was a bit warmer than usual, and they didn't have far to walk. They arrived at Dos Caminos after walking for a few minutes and ordered guacamole and two taco plates to share.

"Mmm...this is so good! I think Baby Morgan likes Mexican food," Rory said with a laugh in between bites of her tacos.

"Is that so?" Finn chuckled. "Well, I will feed my baby and our little Baby Morgan anything they want." He beamed with pride as he looked over at his wife. Had someone told him a few years ago that he would be married to Rory he would have told them that they were crazy, but he wouldn't trade his life for anything now. He was suddenly quite grateful that he'd been in Chicago to tend to business when she was staying at their hotel.

"You are going to be an amazing dad," Rory said softly, smiling at him from across the table.

" _We're_ going to be amazing parents together," he corrected her.

"I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else, Finn."

"Well, that's a good thing, because I wouldn't take kindly to my wife bearing someone else's child," he said with a laugh.

"You know what I meant!" she said, rolling her eyes.

"I do know what you meant, Love. Now, let's pay our bill and get to the grocery store. I'm thinking a night in with hot cocoa and some mockable movies on the couch are just what we need."

"Ah, you do know me so well," she replied with a smile.


	50. Chapter 50

"Rory Morgan?" the nurse called as she opened the door to the waiting room.

"That's us," Rory replied. Finn stood and helped her up and they followed the nurse hand-in-hand. The nurse took her weight and then escorted them to an exam room and took her vitals.

"Alright, here's a gown for you to change into. The doctor will be in shortly," the nurse said when she finished, and then she left Rory and Finn alone in the room. Rory changed out of her clothes and into the robe and then sat down on the exam table, fidgeting nervously.

"You okay there, Love?" Finn asked. It was rare to see Rory act like that.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm just a little nervous is all. I didn't realize that I was pregnant and was still drinking, so I'm just anxious to know that everything is okay," she said softly.

Finn wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she laid her head on his head and clung to him. "I'm certain that everything will be fine, Ror. You really didn't drink much - just a few glasses of wine. We'll get our reassurance soon," he told her comfortingly just before there was a knock on the door.

"Rory? Hi, I'm Dr. Myers," the doctor said as she walked in. She had a warm smile and Rory instantly felt at ease. "It's nice to meet you," she continued as she offered Rory her hand.

Rory reached out and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you as well. This is my husband, Finn."

"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Myers," Finn said, shaking her hand too.

"Well, I see here that you had a positive home pregnancy test. We'll do an exam and some blood work today, and we'll also do an ultrasound to date your pregnancy. How have you been feeling?" Dr. Myers asked Rory.

"Overall I've been feeling well. I've been really tired, but I don't seem to be dealing with much nausea yet."

"That's good. Some women don't really have problems with morning sickness; perhaps you'll be one of those lucky women," the doctor replied with a smile. "Now, if you'll just lay down and scoot your bottom all the way down to the end of the table I'll do your exam and then we'll get a look at your baby."

Rory scooted down and focused on Finn as the doctor completed her internal exam. He was holding her hand and making silly faces at her, causing her to laugh at him. It was a nice distraction from the discomfort of what the doctor was doing. Soon she turned on the ultrasound machine and began the transvaginal ultrasound. It only took a minute for her to find what she was looking for. She turned the screen toward Rory and Finn and smiled. "That's your baby right there," she said, pointing to the screen.

Rory gasped and smiled, grasping Finn's hand more tightly. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, unable to speak at the pure emotion of the moment.

"And right there, you can see the baby's heart beating. You're measuring right around six weeks pregnant - that's measured from the first day of your last period. Does that match your dates?"

Rory nodded her head, trying to reel in her emotions. "Yes, that sounds right," Rory whispered. She had tears in her eyes. "Does the baby look healthy? I didn't know I was pregnant, and I had a few glasses of wine."

"Your baby looks perfect at this point, so you can relax," Dr. Myers replied with a smile. "I'll let you get cleaned up. Do you have any questions for me?"

"No, I think we're good," replied Rory.

"Good deal. You can pick up prints from the ultrasound at the front desk when you check out. You can get dressed, and the nurse will be in shortly to draw your blood. Don't hesitate to call the office with any questions or should there be any problems; I'll see you in four weeks," the doctor explained.

She left the room and Rory got dressed. As soon as she was finished putting her clothes on the nurse knocked and came into the room. She quickly drew Rory's labs and then Rory and Finn were on their way to the checkout desk. They picked up their ultrasound pictures and made their next appointment.

"What now, Love? Are you hungry?" Finn asked. They'd slept in and had a late breakfast, so Rory was sure to be ready for food.

"I'm starving, and now that I know all is well I can relax and enjoy lunch. I'd really love a good burger," Rory replied.

"Burgers it is then, my dear," Finn agreed. They walked down the street to a small diner and ordered burgers and fries. "What are you thinking, Ror?" he asked her softly after the waitress had walked away from their table.

"I'm thinking that this is all surreal and amazing," she replied with a smile.

"It is all pretty incredible. Do we want to tell our parents before we have everyone over tonight?"

"Yeah, that would be a good idea. It doesn't seem right for them not to be the first to know," she agreed.

"Then it's settled - we'll enjoy our lunch, give our families the good news, and then enjoy an evening giving our friends the shock of their lives," he said with a sly grin.

"I think our parents are going to be over-the-moon," Rory said. "We'll be lucky if they aren't all decorating the nursery by tomorrow morning."

"They will be excited," Finn chuckled. "I can't blame them, though - I'm pretty damn excited that you're carrying our first child. I think it must be a girl."

"Why do you think that?" she asked.

"I don't know - just a feeling I have," he admitted.

"Hmm...any other feelings you have there, mister?" she teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I have a feeling that married life is going to be incredible, and you and I will have a whole passel of kids and live happily ever after."

"Well, who am I to argue with my husband?" Rory said with a laugh.


	51. Chapter 51

As soon as Rory and Finn got back to their apartment that afternoon, they settled onto the couch and got ready to share their good news.

"Shall we call the lovely Lorelai first?" Finn offered.

"Are you sure you don't mind if we tell her first?"

"Not at all, Love. Go ahead and get her on the phone," he encouraged her.

Rory dialed her mom's number and put the phone on speaker, anxiously waiting for her to answer.

"Hey, sweets. How's married life treating you?" Lorelai asked when she answered the phone.

"It's really fantastic, Mom. We're enjoying the last couple of days before we go back to work. How's life in Stars Hollow?"

"It's life in Stars Hollow, kid - nothing ever changes," Lorelai said with a laugh. "Is my exotic son-in-law there?"

"I'm right here, Lorelai. You're on speakerphone," Finn replied.

"Speakerphone, huh? What's the momentous occasion?" Lorelai knew that Rory generally hated putting anyone on speaker.

"We actually have some news, Mom, and we couldn't wait to share it with you. We found out on our wedding day, but we were just able to see the doctor this morning. We're expecting - I'm six weeks pregnant," Rory rambled, suddenly nervous for her mom's reaction.

"Whoa, that's amazing! My baby's having a baby!" Lorelai shrieked loudly. "This is the best news, you two. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Mom. We're both really excited. You're actually the first person we've told; we're about to call Finn's parents," replied Rory.

"Oh my goodness, I can't wait to go shopping for tiny little baby booties and onesies and dresses!" Lorelai continued.

"Mom, no shopping yet. We don't know what we're having, so there's no point in buying any clothes right now," Rory reminded her firmly.

"Nonsense, Ror. It's a girl - I just know it!" Lorelai insisted.

"You and Finn agree there, but we should still wait. I'm going to go now, Mom. We need to talk to Finnegan and Amelia. I love you, Mom!" Rory said.

"I love you guys. Take care, and come see me soon!" Lorelai said before hanging up.

Rory leaned into Finn and snuggled into his arms for a moment as they enjoyed a lingering kiss. "Do you want to see if your mom could meet us at the office in about an hour? We could tell your parents in-person," Rory offered.

"That would be perfect," Finn agreed. He called his mum and made arrangements to meet at the office and then chuckled when he looked down at Rory - she had dozed off in the couple of minutes that he was on the phone. He kicked his shoes off and grabbed the television remote, happy to hold his wife while she napped. He flipped the television on and then pulled the blanket off the back of the couch over them. He flipped through a through channels, only half paying attention, and then reached over and picked up his cell phone. He opened his browser and pulled up listings for brownstones in the city. He looked through several, bookmarking the properties that he thought Rory might like as she slept. He put his phone away just in time to wake her and soon they were taking the short walk to Morgan Headquarters.

They arrived at the office and walked over to Finnegan's office. Finn knocked lightly on the door and they walked in to find that his mum had already arrived.

"Finn, Rory! It's so lovely to see you both," Amelia said happily as she hugged them. "I was a bit surprised to hear from you today."

"Well, we're having a get together for our friends tonight to announce our news, and we wanted to talk with you first. It seems that the Morgan family will be expanding even more - Rory and I are six weeks pregnant," Finn said proudly as he wrapped his arm around Rory's waist.

"Oh, this is splendid news!" Amelia cried, embracing them both once again.

"Indeed it is! Congratulations - your mum and I couldn't possibly be any happier for you two," Finnegan added.

"When did you find out?" asked Amelia.

"On our wedding day, actually. I took the test before we left to meet everyone for dinner, and I told Finn that night. We went to the doctor today and got a look at our little one," Rory replied. She reached into her purse and retrieved the ultrasound copy they had gotten for Finn's mom and dad and handed it to Amelia.

"I...I just can't believe that my baby is going to be a daddy," Amelia whispered as she looked at the picture. "You two are happy about this?" She hadn't really heard Rory and Finn talk about starting a family, so it was only natural to want to ensure that they were happy about this development.

"We're over the moon about it," Finn said softly.

"I hadn't really thought about starting a family yet, but after thinking I might be pregnant for a few days I realized that I really wanted it," added Rory. "I found myself hoping that it was true, and then when the test was positive I was elated."

"Now we're going to go ahead and start our search for a new home. I found several brownstones in the area that are listed for sale. I want to be settled in a family home before Baby Morgan makes his or her debut," said Finn.

"So you'll be staying in the City after the baby is born?" Finnegan asked, relieved that it sounded like they were. He loved having them close, and he wasn't sure how Morgan Holdings would function without either of them.

"Of course we are - it's home. We both love where we live and work, and since we have onsite child care here it will work out perfectly once I return from maternity leave," answered Rory.

"I'm so glad - you're both quite indispensable here," Finnegan chuckled.

"Well, we best get going; we have an apartment full of people coming over tonight. We'll see you soon," Finn said. They hugged his parents and walked back out hand-in-hand, both looking forward to sharing all of their news with their closest friends that night.


	52. Chapter 52

Finn took one last look around the apartment, ensuring that everything was in place for their get together, and then turned toward his wife. "You ready for this, Love?"

"Yeah, I can't wait. They're all going to be so shocked," she said with a laugh just as the doorbell rang.

Finn crossed the apartment and opened the door to find Colin and Steph, Logan and Robert outside. He invited them in and began making them drinks, ensuring that he grabbed the sparkling cider he'd stashed away out of sight for Rory - they didn't want the cider bottle to give away their biggest surprise. They all took their drinks and sat down in the living room, and at just that moment the doorbell rang again.

"I've got it!" Rory called. She walked to the door and squealed as she saw Kate and Laura standing there. "I've missed you two!" she said as she engulfed them both in hugs.

"We've missed you, too," Kate chuckled.

"Can I get you ladies a glass of wine?" Finn asked as he stood up to greet them. He hugged both women and then crossed to the bar.

"That would be great," answered Laura.

"Everyone, this is Kate and Laura. They both were also reporting on the campaign, and we became close. Kate and Laura, these are some of our friends - Colin and Steph, Logan, and Robert," she introduced as she pointed to each of them in turn.

They all exchanged greetings and sat down to talk, and soon the living room was filled with all of their closest friends. They all visited over tacos, chips, and salsa. As soon as everyone had finished eating, Finn tapped his spoon on his glass and stood up. He pulled Rory up next to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, as all of their friends turned his way.

"Rory and I would like to thank you all for coming for dinner tonight, especially on such short notice. You're our dearest friends, and we wanted to share our news with you all. Over our trip to Australia, I asked this beautiful woman to marry me, and she said yes!" he said happily, his eyes sparkling as he thought about that moment.

Their friends immediately began offering their congratulations with hugs and pats on the back, and soon Rory was quieting them all again.

"We have a bit more news to share. Finn and I knew that we didn't want our wedding to become a huge media spectacle, so we wed quietly shortly before returning to the States. Finn's parents and my mom were there to witness our marriage, and we'll celebrate with a huge party soon so that we can have all of the people who are important to us there," she added excitedly.

"How in the world did you get her to agree to that?" Colin teased.

"It wasn't my idea, Mate - it was all her," Finn chuckled. "I was worried that she would regret not having everyone there."

"I had to make sure you didn't have time to change your mind about marrying me," Rory joked, causing everyone to laugh. Anyone with eyes could see that Finn was crazy about Rory, and that would never change.

"Never gonna happen, Kitten," Finn said softly as he leaned down to hiss her tenderly.

"I'm glad," she whispered.

"Alright, you two are disgusting!" Kate teased from her seat on the couch. She had been sitting next to Logan all night, and Rory couldn't help but notice that they'd gotten progressively closer physically as the night wore on and the drinks flowed. They'd been sitting quietly and talking for quite some time before Finn interrupted to make their announcements. She made a mental note to ask Kate what was going on later; she and Logan had the potential to be good together, and it seemed like he really had changed.

"She's right - are you two finished with your announcements?" Robert asked.

Rory wrapped her arm around Finn's waist, cuddling into his side, and he smiled. He loved the way that they just fit together.

"Actually, we're not," Finn replied. "My beautiful wife and I do have one more piece of news to share with you all, and we're quite excited about it. We'll be adding a little one to our family in about seven and a half months - we're pregnant." Finn was beaming with pride and happiness as he spoke; he had everything he'd never known that he wanted in his life until he ran into Rory in Chicago. That was the day that changed everything for him.

"Wow...that's great, guys. It is great, isn't it?" Steph asked, still a bit shocked by this last bit of information.

"It is beyond great," Rory said with a laugh. "It wasn't expected, but we're so incredibly happy. Honestly, I'm still kind of expecting to wake up and find that it's all a dream - everything is just so wonderful."

"Rory's right - we're both so completely happy about this unexpected blessing," Finn agreed.

Everyone began offering their congratulations on this last bit of news - perhaps the biggest news of all - and Steph exchanged a knowing look with Rory. Rory nodded her head and smiled, and then Colin and Steph stood up and he cleared his throat to once again quiet their friends.

"It seems that it's a night for celebration," Colin said with a smile. "Steph and I are also expecting - we're about ten weeks along, so Baby Morgan and Baby McCrae will grow up together."

Rory and Steph squealed and hugged each other, both overjoyed to be experiencing this milestone together, and Colin and Finn exchanged manly hugs. Suddenly Logan stood up and held up his glass.

"I'd like to offer a toast. It seems that there's much to celebrate as our lives all change. I wish you two absolute happiness in your marriage, Finn and Rory, and I know that I speak for all of us when I say that we can't wait to be aunts and uncles to your little ones. To family!" Logan offered.

"To family!" they all chimed in before taking sips of their own drinks.

Rory looked around the room and smiled - she finally had the life she'd always dreamed of.


	53. Epilogue: Part 1

**Epilogue - Part 1**

"Just a few more pushes, Love. You're amazing," Finn encouraged Rory as he kissed her on the forehead. She'd been in labor for an exhausting 37 hours, and she was finally nearing the end. He was in awe of her strength and stamina. He'd never been more proud of his wife.

Rory closed her eyes and pushed again with all of the strength that she could muster and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the beautiful cry of their baby. Tears streaked down her face, and she looked up at Finn to see his look of absolute amazement. He also had tears in his face as he looked down at his wife and their child.

"You're doing great, Rory. We just need another push and your baby will be all the way out and we'll be able to see whether it's a boy or a girl," the doctor told Rory.

Rory nodded and gave one last push, clinging to Finn desperately. He'd been her rock during the entirety of her pregnancy and labor. He had supported her beautifully while she worked through contraction after contraction, his love and care never wavering.

"That's it; you can rest now," the doctor said as she suctioned their baby. After she was satisfied that the baby was breathing well, she held the baby up. "Good job, Mom and Dad."

"It's a girl," Finn whispered, his tears now also flowing freely. "We have a daughter."

"She's incredible," replied Rory.

"Dad, would you like to cut the cord?" the doctor asked, holding the scissors out toward Finn.

He wiped his tears and reached down and took the scissors from her hand and cut the cord.

"Great job, Dad. Are you ready for your little one, Mom?"

Rory nodded her head, still overcome by emotion, and slipped her hospital gown so she could hold her daughter skin-to-skin. The doctor laid the baby on her chest and Finn leaned down and kissed them both, in awe of the two most important women in his life. It seemed unbelievable that he and Rory had created this little life.

"She's perfect, Ror," he said softly, stroking her cheek with his finger.

"Still sure about her name?" Rory asked. They'd chosen names for a boy and for a girl since they'd decided not to find out what they were having.

"I'm absolutely certain," Finn said with a smile.

"Hey there, little Lorelai Amelia Morgan," Rory said softly. They planned to call her Mia.

Finn sat later that night, rocking his baby girl as Rory slept. The entire day was overwhelming in the best possible way. Colin had told him a few weeks ago when his and Stephanie's son was born that the entire experience was indescribable, but Finn didn't understand until he saw his own daughter come into the world. Mia stirred gently in her sleep and grunted as she shifted and he sighed contentedly. He'd never been so in love in his life - with his wife or their daughter. They'd spent the afternoon bonding quietly with Mia and letting Rory get the hang of nursing. Their parents and grandparents had visited briefly, but they had otherwise spent the time as a family of three. As he looked on at his wife and daughter, he couldn't help but feel as though he was the luckiest man alive.


	54. Epilogue: Part 2

"Lorelai Amelia Morgan." Mia walked across the stage and stopped in the center, smiling broadly as she accepted her diploma. She laughed as she heard the exuberant cheers of her extended family - her parents, her Danes and Morgan grandparents, her brother Ethan and sister Sophie, Uncle Colin and Aunt Steph, Uncle Logan and Aunt Kate, and half of the town of Stars Hollow. She might not have grown up there, but they still called her one of their own. She finished her trek across the stage and posed for pictures before turning and waiting on her best friend and lifeline, Michael McCrae. They'd been born a few short weeks apart, and they had been inseparable since the first time they met when she was just a few days old. They had started kindergarten together, learned to drive together, and fallen in love together. Their friendship had grown into more during their sophomore year of high school, and unlike most other couples their age, they'd remained together and in love throughout the rest of high school and all of college. She cheered loudly as they called his name and waited at the edge of the stage for him. He accepted his diploma and then sprinted across the stage and swept her up in his arms, kissing her soundly as he spun her around.

"Michael!" she exclaimed as she laughed at his antics.

"We did it, Mia," he said proudly. Yale had been immensely hard, but they'd balanced each other out and pushed each other to do their best. He took her hand and led her back to their seats. He couldn't help but be a bit nervous. He'd talked to Uncle Finn and Aunt Rory and gone shopping with his parents and planned for the night; now he just had to wait.

A few hours later, as they all sat at the Morgans' Hartford home celebrating with a barbecue and drinks, Michael walked over to Mia and took her hand. "Take a walk with me?" he asked.

"Always," Mia answered softly. They walked toward the gardens, both trying to remember every moment of this day.

"Are you excited to move to New York?" Michael asked as they walked. They'd both accepted jobs in New York and their parents had gone together to purchase them an apartment for a graduation gift. They would be moving the following week and would both start their new jobs shortly after.

"Yeah, I can't wait. I know we've lived together the last couple of years, but this just seems...real, and permanent," she admitted.

Michael knew instantly that was his perfect moment. He stopped walking and pulled her back toward him. "Mia, you and I have had an amazing life together, first as friends and then as more. I love that you're the only woman I've ever loved and the only woman I've ever been with. You're it for me, I know that with absolute certainty." He paused for a moment and reached into his pocket and then got down on one knee in front of her, holding up the ring he had carefully selected. "Lorelai Amelia Morgan, will you marry me?"

Mia pulled him up and kissed him soundly as she choked back tears. "Of course I'll marry you, Michael!" she replied as they broke their kiss. She smiled, completely overjoyed in the moment. He was her only love, her only boyfriend, her only lover - he was everything to her, and she was going to spend the rest of her life with him.

He leaned in and kissed her again. "We should probably get back; they'll all be wondering what you said."

"If they know us at all, they won't be surprised at what I said," Mia chuckled. She took his hand and they walked back toward the party. Everyone looked up at them expectantly as they approached the group and Mia smiled and held up her left hand. "I said yes!" she exclaimed, causing everyone to cheer and crowd around the young couple to congratulate them.

Colin and Steph embraced Mia. "Welcome to the family officially, Mia. We've always considered you to be like our daughter, and now you'll be our daughter-in-law," Colin said warmly. He had always adored Mia and couldn't possibly be happier with his son's choice of future wife.

"Thank you both so much. I couldn't ask for better future in-laws," Mia replied as she hugged them both.

"And you - you were the first baby to be born to our group of friends, and we couldn't choose a better husband for Mia if we hand-picked him. Come to think of it, I guess we kind of did," Finn chuckled as he hugged Michael. They'd all joked from the time that Colin and Steph found out that they were having a boy that just maybe Finn and Rory would have a girl and they would fall in love and marry someday. None of them actually expected that to happen, and they'd all been pleasantly surprised when Michael and Mia had made the move from friends to dating. Now they would all forever be connected, their families united, when Michael and Mia married.


	55. Epilogue: Part 3

"You look beautiful, baby girl," Finn said with tears in his eyes as he walked into the bridal room to have one last minute with Mia before he walked her down the aisle and gave her away.

"Daddy, don't cry! You'll make me ruin my makeup," Mia said with a small laugh.

"I can't help it - I'm giving my oldest girl away to some stinky boy," Finn said with a laugh.

"That stinky boy is your best friend's son," she pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, alright. If I'm going to give you away to anyone, he's a good choice," Finn finally agreed. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's go get me married," Mia said with a smile. She picked up her bouquet and slipped her arm through her dad's as they walked out of the bridal room and to the doors to the ballroom in their flagship New York City hotel. It seemed appropriate that she would marry here, in a place that was so important to her family.

The music changed to the bridal march, and Mia took a deep breath. Finn leaned over and kissed her on the forehead and placed his hand over her hand that was tucked into his arm. He straightened his tie with his other hand and began slowly walking her down the aisle. He smiled as he saw Michael tear up when he caught sight of his bride walking down the aisle and thought back to his wedding day and the way he felt when he saw Rory walking down the aisle toward him.

They arrived at the end of the aisle and Finn snuck a glance at Rory who was wiping away tears as she looked on. He felt like the last twenty-two years of his life were flashing before his eyes as the minister began the ceremony, and soon it was time to hand his firstborn off the man that she was marrying.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" the minister asked.

"Her mother and I do," Finn answered as he held back the tears that were threatening to spill out. No matter how much he loved his future son-in-law, giving his daughter away was emotional. He placed her hand into Michael's outstretched hand and then slid into his seat next to his wife of over twenty years. He slipped his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder while they watched Michael and Mia make their vows to each other, and soon they were pronounced husband and wife.

A short while later at the reception, the DJ announced the couple's first dance. Mia held her hand out for the mic and smiled at their parents before speaking. "Michael and I would like to ask our parents to join us in enjoying this first dance. You taught us how to love and showed us that while marriage is hard work, it's worth it. In a society full of unhappy marriages, you were an example of powerful couples who married for love and thrived. Thank you for that." Mia handed the mic back to the DJ and walked out to the dance floor with her husband.

Finn took Rory's hand and led her to the center of the dance floor. He pulled her into his arms as the music began playing. "You know, today brought me back to our wedding day. In many ways, I can't remember my life before we got married," Finn said softly.

"On our wedding day, when the minister said something about us looking back on that day as they day that we loved each other the least, I thought he was crazy. But standing here in your arms tonight, it's true - my love for you has just grown," replied Rory.

Finn leaned down and kissed his wife tenderly. They'd been through so many things in their lifetime - some good and some bad - but he knew without a doubt that there was no other woman he would have wanted to spend his life with. They had found their home together.


End file.
